Mangoma has ‘no problem’ working with Tsvangirai

via Mangoma has ‘no problem’ working with Tsvangirai | SW Radio Africa  by Tichaona Sibanda on Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Suspended MDC-T deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma is a democrat who has no problems working with party leader Morgan Tsvangirai, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Jacob Mafume, Mangoma’s legal representative, said there are certain people within the movement who want to see the back of Mangoma, ‘so they could contest his post at Congress.’ He emphasized that his client was the last person to wish for a split in the MDC-T and has become a recluse to avoid being harmed by criminal elements baying for his blood.

‘There are people who are now using his letter to purge him to leave the party…to purge the party of his associates to create a safe passage for the themselves at the next congress,’ claimed Mafume.

He added: ‘All he wanted was to be heard why he authored the letter…but they chose to deny him that opportunity. My client is a democrat who is willing to work with all democrats.’

Mangoma was suspended earlier this month following a meeting of the national council in Harare for allegedly ‘provoking divisions and bringing the movement into disrepute’. The former energy minister wrote a four-page letter to Tsvangirai in January advising him to step down and allow for leadership renewal.

Speaking on SW Radio Africa’s Hidden Story program, Mafume said what his client never anticipated for expressing his views, was the political armageddon that was launched against him.

‘The letter was drafted for discussion; it was put there on the table to come out with a solution. If the people decide otherwise, my client will accept it as a democrat,’ Mafume said.

Asked if the relationship between Mangoma and Tsvangirai has irretrievably broken down, Mafume retorted: ‘He has no problem working with the party leader. That was not even the issue. What he raised were concerns that needed a review…that’s all he raised and nothing else.’

Since the letter was made public Mafume claims that nobody from the MDC-T has sat down and discussed with him the issues that he raised. All he has received has been a ‘bashing from drunken youths’ and being viewed with suspicion.

‘He was charged by the party but as I speak to you it’s almost two weeks and we still haven’t received the charge sheet. What my client has received has been an over-reaction to issues he raised. It clearly shows some infernal minds and infant behaviour among some of our colleagues,’ he said.