The MDC-T has described the recent defection of its former Ward 8 Masvingo councillor, Misheck Gapare as a non-event, saying the former city father was a spent force seeking political relevance and protection from Zanu PF.
BY TATENDA CHITAGU
Gapare last week applied for admission to Zanu PF, as an ordinary card-carrying member saying the MDC-T had lost its relevance and direction.
“There is no longer MDC-T to talk of. The party has no direction. [Party leader, Morgan] Tsvangirai was deserted by all other founding members of the party because he is a dictator. I believe Zanu PF is better organised,” he was quoted saying.
But MDC-T Masvingo provincial chair, James Gumbi, said Gapare was a spent force.
“The guy is past his sell-by-date and was not adding any value to the party. We do not lose sleep over him and as the MDC-T family, we do not consider his going to Zanu PF as a defection. We donated him for free,” Gumbi said.
Gumbi said Gapare was hauled before a disciplinary committee after he was sucked into a land grab scandal.
“He had been hauled before a party disciplinary hearing after he was involved in controversy over some 50 stands meant for councillors, where the beneficiaries turned out to be his relatives.
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“While still in council, he also allegedly allocated a stand to his seven-year-old son, before selling it. He was tarnishing the image of the party.
“To us, we view his crossing the floor as buying his freedom and seeking protection. He is not doing that out of principle, but there is a push factor,” he said.
Asked to comment over the alleged corruption charges, Gapare insisted that everything he did was above board.
“Everything I did was proper. I approached the High Court to have an interdict to stop anyone disturbing developments on my land, and I was granted relief, so how then would you say the stands are not mine? I was born Zanu PF and I am not seeking any favours from the party,” Gapare said.
