MDC-T defectors ‘sore losers’

A SENIOR MDC-T official has described members that defected to MDC-Renewal team in the wake of the weekend’s Bulawayo provincial elections as a bunch of sore losers as the fallout over the elective congress continues.

A SENIOR MDC-T official has described members that defected to MDC-Renewal team in the wake of the weekend’s Bulawayo provincial elections as a bunch of sore losers as the fallout over the elective congress continues. Nqobile Bhebhe/Nqobani Ndlovu

MDC-T organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe described the defectors as nomadic politicians who were only after money and positions. “All I can say is that these are nomadic politicians,” he said. Abednico-Bhebhe “(Albert) Mhlanga and (Gladys) Mathe are nomadic politicians who are only after money and positions. They will jump from one party to another seeking positions and money.”

Despite describing Mhlanga as a sore loser, the Pumula legislator had retained his position in the provincial legislature. Another winning executive member Nicola Brown said she wanted to lodge an appeal as there were a number of irregularities.

“I did not lose, but I stand with all the aggrieved parties,” she said.

“There were definite irregularities in the accreditation of the electoral college and the voting process.”

Deputy mayor Gift Banda was elected provincial chairperson despite reports of widespread rigging, triggering defections to MDC-Renewal. Former Bulawayo deputy mayor Amen Mpofu said he had tendered his resignation in the wake of the contentious congress.

But Bhebhe insists everything was done according to the book and losers must accept defeat gracefully.

“The congress was transparent and no one should claim that the elections were rigged,” he said. “In any election there is a winner and a loser. I have never seen winners making noise, but only very few sore losers who will allege this and that to discredit the whole process.”

The victorious Banda extended an olive branch to those that ditched the MDC-T.

He, however, said he was not worried with the “fake defections” that saw two legislators Mhlanga and former MDC-T women’s assembly chairperson Mathe, and a councillor Sheila Musonda joining the MDC-Renewal team on Monday.

“We would not be bothered by the departure of characters such as Mhlanga,” he said.

“He was a destructive element and we knew he was working with the renewal team.”

Banda accused Mhlanga of expelling several people from the party and abusing his power and destroying the party’s structures.

The incoming chairman challenged Mhlanga to reveal the identity of 500 people whom he claimed had defected with him.

Banda said the only defection that had almost brought the party to a halt was that of 2005, where “men of steel and integrity such as (Welshman) Ncube, (former party president, the late Gibson) Sibanda and the late Fletcher Dulini Ncube left”.

Meanwhile, Mpofu yesterday announced his resignation from the MDC-T, citing what he termed lack of rule of law within the party.