Mangoma steps up Tsvangirai ouster bid

Politics
Elton Mangoma has escalated his defiance campaign by addressing parallel grassroot rallies to drum up support for his push for leadership renewal.

SUSPENDED MDC-T deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma has escalated his defiance campaign by addressing parallel grassroot rallies to drum up support for his push for leadership renewal.

MOSES MATENGA/BLESSED MHLANGA

He is facing disciplinary action for putting the name of the party into disrepute, causing divisions in the party and undermining the authority of the party leadership.

He told our sister paper NewsDay yesterday that he had already met MDC-T structures in Masvingo and Manicaland to garner support. His suspension on charges of writing two damning letters calling on party leader Morgan Tsvangirai to step down, has shaken the opposition party’s foundations with MDC-T secretary-general Tendai Biti fighting on his side.

The defiant Mangoma said his rallies were meant to explain to MDC-T members the problems bedevilling the former labour-backed party and alleged abuse of the constitution by Tsvangirai.

“There are people coming to talk to me and I am explaining to them the status of the party, my letters to Tsvangirai and what the best way forward is,” Mangoma said. “I spoke to people who gave their views on the leader who is acting unconstitutionally and also we are discussing the best strategy to remove Zanu PF from power. The response is overwhelming and the people even felt that I left out a lot of things in my letters to Tsvangirai.”

So far the campaign trail has taken him to Gutu in Masvingo and yesterday he addressed a rally in his Makoni South constituency in Manicaland.

Ironically, Tsvangirai has also embarked on a whirlwind tour of the country’s provinces to mend fissures caused by Mangoma’s outbursts and assure the grassroots that there is cohesion within the party’s top leadership.

Mangoma yesterday vowed to continue his campaigns saying he was not bound by Tsvangirai’s call for a truce. He said he was only served with the letter of suspension last week, but had not yet been summoned to appear before an MDC-T disciplinary committee.

“I was in Gutu and today I will be in my constituency for people to know what has been said about me,” he said. MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said Mangoma should not be attending to party business since he was suspended.

“The position is that a person under suspension must not attend to party business, but if it’s true it is quite unfortunate. That does not stop our leader from carrying out our lawful party programmes,” he said.

“ Our leader is very serious on party unity and cohesion. Further, we know that there are people who want to try to stop due process from happening in the party, but due process will not stop as the independent tribunal is going to sit. The aim is to achieve justice for everybody including Mangoma himself.”

On Saturday, Tsvangirai addressed a rally in Zhombe, the Midlands province, where he repeated his calls for unity of purpose and cohesion in the MDC-T.