Renewal, Mujuru snub Tsvangirai briefing

via Renewal, Mujuru snub Tsvangirai briefing – New Zimbabwe 17/04/2015

OPPOSITION MDC Renewal MPs who were recently expelled from parliament for ditching the MDC-T are still “mourning” their recall, party spokesperson Jacob Mafume revealed Friday.

Mafume was speaking to NewZimbabwe.com when called to explain his party’s absence from a joint press briefing called Friday by the main opposition and other known political parties to give their position on the country’s Independence Day celebrations.

The MDC-T, Mavambo-Kusile-Dawn (MKD), ZAPU, NCA called the media briefing in Harare where they all bemoaned what they said was President Robert Mugabe’s failed leadership in the past 35 years of self-rule.

But conspicuous by their absence on the panel was the Welshman Ncube and Sekai Holland led political formations which broke away from the party in 2005 and 2014 respectively. Both now operate as the UMDC.

The briefing, it had earlier been announced, was also going to be attended by the Zanu People First political outfit which comprises disgruntled Zanu PF politicians.

Asked if the absence of the other opposition groups was a deliberate omission by the conveners of the briefing, MKD leader Simba Makoni said the parties were called but decided to abandon the event.

“We can’t speak for those who are not here but l can assure you that when the consultation towards this event started, it excluded no one,” he said.

NCA spokesperson Madock Chivasa, who represented the fledgling party, also said when the parties met at Harvest House to draft the press statement Friday afternoon, MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora kept phoning UMDC leaders but did not get any positive response.

On his part, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai said journalists must not jump to conclusions over the failure of their rivals to attend the briefing.

“What should actually happen is you should commend us for making an effort to bring everyone together…don’t interpret things, take it as it is. Be positive,” he said.

But reached for comment, MDC Renewal spokesperson Jacob Mafume spat venom, saying they were still “mourning” the expulsion of 21 MDC MPs from parliament at the instigation of the MDC-T.

“We didn’t come because we are actually in mourning. This is actually a tragic day,” he said.

“There are many tragic happenings that are actually happening in the country.

“We believe that the politics of Zimbabwe is vindictive and malicious and at this point, it would be difficult for us to understand the motives of our colleagues who you know have punished other people for independent thought.

“…Before those issues are sorted out, it would be ironic and a betrayal to the 21 members who have been punished for expressing their conscience and their views so to be able to sit there, celebrating independence with colleagues who clearly do not understand the meaning of independence.

“It is a Zanu PF tactic whereby you punish someone during the night and you expect them to lock hands with you during the day.

“Zanu PF punishes people every day of their lives, and expect them to celebrate their independence.”

Mafume continued: “I think it is high time we stop lying to each other…people must stop this high sounding hypocrisy whereby you are vindictive to a person.

“It’s like an abusive husband who keeps on beating the wife but expects to appear in church together with that wife he was beating during the night.”