HARARE – Members of Parliament from the MDC led by Welshman Ncube, who have crossed the floor to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC, have spoken for the first time about their bold decision.
In an interview with the Daily News, Thandeko Mkandla MP for Gwanda North and Maxwell Dube (Tsholotsho), said they were leaving the smaller MDC formation because of the need to unite under a candidate with realistic chances of ending President Robert Mugabe’s hegemony.
The two legislators said the wishes of their constituencies were paramount.
“I have joined the MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and discussed this move with my constituency party members who agreed with me and this is why I submitted my CV to stand in the primary elections to be considered MP for the constituency under Tsvangirai,” said Mkandla.
Dube alleged Ncube was difficult to work with, an assertion rejected by his party.
“We had been having difficulties in working with Ncube and this is why we decided to re-join our other colleagues in the MDC led by Tsvangiari,”said Dube.
Three other MPs namely; Nomalanga Khumalo, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament (Umzingwane) and senators Dalimazi Khumalo (Lupane) and Kembo Dube (Umzingwane) have also joined the MDC led by Tsvangirai.
Chief whip for Ncube’s MDC, Edward Mkhosi dismissed the MPs who have crossed the floor to Tsvangirai saying they were rebels that had been dismissed by his party leadership.
“These MPs were no longer working with us in Parliament as we had dismissed them from our party. They were not adding any value to us as they were working with Tsvangirai’s MPs. We are not going to miss them,” he said.
Mkhosi said they were legislators who were still with his party, namely: Moses Mzila- Ndlovu, (Bullilima West) Siyabonga Ncube (Insiza) Patrick Dube (Gwanda Central) and Senators Believe Gaule (Tsholotsho) David Coltart (Khumalo) and Lutho Addington Tapela (Bulilima-Magwe).
They are just the latest MPs to be expelled.
In 2010, Ncube expelled Abdenico Bhebhe (Nkayi South), Njabuliso Mguni (Bulilima East) and Norman Mpofu (Lupane East). The three have since joined Tsvangirai’s MDC, and their applications to stand in the primary elections have already been accepted by Tsvangirai.
The three MPs were the first to come out in the open in support of Tsvangirai. In total, Ncube has since 2008 lost eight legislators along with 49 councillors from Bulawayo Matabeleland North and South. Daily News
