via Biti, Mangoma deny rivalry, blast Ex-PM 31 August 2014
MDC Renewal Team leaders Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma have denied falling out over the leadership of the opposition outfit as they upped attacks on “struggle obstacle” and former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Biti, Mangoma and other leaders of the fledgling opposition movement were in Masvingo Sunday where they addressed youths and students as they continue to establish structures ahead of a congress scheduled for early next year.
The group moved away from the Tsvangirai-led MDC-T party after the former premier refused to step down and allow a process of “leadership renewal”.
Biti said Tsvangirai had demonstrated, since assuming leadership of the MDC-T at its formation in 1999, that he was a specialist in failure with no ideas about how to depose President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party.
“We cannot be part and parcel of a party (MDC-T) that has a belief system and values that we do not agree with. We say no! We cannot allow a situation where a leader is treated as some kind of a Messiah or a biblical Moses,” said Biti.
“He (Tsvangirai) has lost six elections but he is not even ashamed of that. He is a specialist in failure and is clueless on how to solve problems affecting this country.
“Only the Renewal Team has the capacity to take this country forward and we will form the next government.”
“He was a very weak leader and does not have anything new to offer to Zimbabweans. Politically Tsvangirai is finished and will never resurrect.
Legislator and former MDC-T youth leader Solomon Madzore drew attention to the MDC-T leader’s many dalliances quipping that Tsvangirai’s sole competence was in flirting with women.
“Tsvangirai is like a person who upon realising that his vehicle is boiling starts checking the number plate. The man has no clue at all about what is needed to take this country forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, the weekly Standard newspaper claimed there were tensions in the party between Biti and Mongoma over the leadership of the movement.
“Others are campaigning for Biti while others are backing Mangoma. Those on the Biti camp include Solomon Madzore who is the youth assembly president and acting organising secretary while others are going for Mangoma.”
But Mangoma, who was the first dissenter to publicly ask Tsvangirai to step down, insisted there were no tensions adding he was ready to serve in any capacity.
“No dates have been set for the congress and there is no campaigning going on. This party is about democracy and not personal ambition and I’m ready to serve the party in any capacity,” he said.
“One of the things about this party is that we don’t want the big man politics so all persons interested can offer themselves or the members can also nominate people to positions.”
Party spokesman Jacob Mafume also downplayed reports of rivalry between Madzore and Promise Mkwananzi over the leadership of the youth wing.
“If people have ideas, those ideas should be raised and we will have our congress in March 2015 where all positions are open. I don’t think canvassing has started.”
“We are preparing for our Congress that is going to be held next year. Slowly but surely we are going ahead with the building of our party,” he said.
COMMENTS
There was hype when Biti formed his rebel group.Now months after their childish display, they have nothing to offer except tlking about Tsvangirai.This makes them ZANU PF, the same party which Biti accused of buzzing ghost voters from Manicaland in 2013 elections .It is time to craft your “juice policies” and stop school boy rhetoric .That will win you zero support.If you Biti was intelligent, as you would like to believe, you would know that Mugabe is not wanted and has caused suffering.Now your agenda is to silver coat Mugabe and acknowledge all his policies as GOOD. The question is when did you start the betrayal? The other thing is don’t be fooled by people who call you an intellectual because nothing tangible makes you one.Just foul schoolboy mouth misdiredcted at innocent people
I wonder what some people see in Biti to view him as a wiz kid or some kind of a blue eyed boy. To me he is one hell of a confused lawyer who is full of contradictions both in his words(refer to earlier and later utterances on MDC T’s election loss) and beliefs (his earlier and later relationship with Gono brings Biti’s intergrity to question. Mind you there are many other examples. I know of many other lawyers who graduated well after Biti but have already earned the title of advocate. So please save us the intelligence rubbish and if Tsvangison is past his best before date then Biti was never even shop floor shelf worth. Probably he came from delivery truck already expired or was a rotten apple straight from the farmer’s orchard.
Nice one Che.
When are this lot going to stop bickering about who is going to be leader(or ruler) and get on with sorting out and running the country – this is what we mere mortals are paying for isn’t it – its all getting way to much
A useless duo
Fighting to liberate Zimbabwe from Tsvangira do I understand their mission/objective
Its bad to have people like Mangoma and Biti as lieutenants to you,, who were close but now they are blaming the very house they helped to build. Ambition is not bad, Biti and Magoma should focus on how to defeat MDC-T and Zanu PF in the forth coming election 2018 so that they will show the people of Zimbabwe what they are capable of doing. Criticizing MDC-T leadership is not only wasted effort but stupid. People of Zimbabwe knows that Zanu PF is the causer of the poverty and all these problems that the people are facing. They are interested in knowing a leader that will remove Zanu PF, what that leader will do to ensure no rigging, no intimidation and ensure free and fair elections.
EVEN THE SO CALLED RENEWAL TEAM WILL SPLIT SOONER OR LATER? MDC-T WILL FURTHER SPLIT, SO WILL ZANU PF. THERE ARE GREEDY PEOPLE ALL OVER AND SPLITS ARE AND WILL BE THE ORDER OF THE DAY. WE NEED A SERIOUS PARTY TO FILL THE VOID. MAYBE VA MADHUKU TIMBOONA KUTI VAKAMIRA SEI. VAMWE VOSE THEY OBVIOUSLY DONT QUALIFY? KKKKKK NO JOKE.