Source: Byo businessman, Phiri appointed PDP acting deputy chairperson – NewsDay Zimbabwe October 19, 2017
BULAWAYO businessman, Sonny Phiri has been appointed acting deputy chairperson of Tendai Biti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as the party moves in to fill posts left vacant after a fallout with secretary general, Gorden Moyo recently.
By NQOBANI NDLOVU
The fall out saw Biti and Moyo going their separate ways.
Moyo announced Biti’s expulsion from the PDP on charges of violating the party constitution by “unilaterally” joining the MDC Alliance.
Also dismissed from the PDP were top officials such as Evelyn Masaiti, Vince Musewe, Jacob Mafume, Settlement Chikwinya and Kucaca Phulu who is Biti’’s deputy.
PDP deputy spokesperson, Edwin Ndlovu told Southern Eye that Biti’s management committee met last week on Thursday in Harare to, among others, fill positions left vacant following his fallout with Moyo’s faction.
“The party resolved to appoint Willias Madzimure and Phiri as acting Deputy Treasurer General and Deputy Chairperson respectively.
Philani Moyo was confirmed as the secretary for Policy and Research. This will be reviewed by the general council in due course.
“The party will visit all the provinces to audit structures following internal discord, access election preparedness and ensure alliance cooperation. An all structures meeting shall be held in Bulawayo on November 18,” Ndlovu said.
Phiri, a Bulawayo businessman, replaces former Bulawayo Mayor, Thaba Moyo who was the party’s deputy chairperson.
Phiri ventured into politics recently but Ndlovu said “we are proud to have Phiri as our national deputy chairperson. He is a renowned businessman and a strategist par excellence. The party will tap a lot from his expertise”.
Biti’s fallout with Moyo over joining the MDC Alliance has seen the former and the latter trading insults, some with tribal connotations.
While Biti’s PDP insists the MDC Alliance was the only alternative towards removing Zanu PF, Moyo’s faction argues otherwise.
Moyo’s PDP has instead forged a separate coalition with Dumiso Dabengwa’s Zapu and the National People’s Party (NPP) led by former Vice President Joice Mujuru to challenge Zanu PF in Matabeleland in the 2018 elections.
Ndlovu said the PDP management committee also settled for Harare “as the venue for its second anniversary to be held at a date to be announced by the organising department”.
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