Tsvangirai ignores “childish” Biti hearing

By Lloyd Mbiba

HARARE – Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has scoffed at ex-secretary general Tendai Biti’s attempt to haul him before a disciplinary hearing, saying the former Finance minister should concentrate on his own party.

Biti’s renewal team announced last week that it has set June 18, as the date for Tsvangirai’s  disciplinary hearing following his reported controversial suspension from the MDC in April.

Tsvangirai dismissed the meeting that suspended him as “illegal, unconstitutional, illegitimate and bogus”.

Luke Tamborinyoka, Tsvangirai spokesperson, ridiculed the move, saying Tsvangirai was not appearing before any kangaroo court.

He said the former Finance minister should concentrate on his new party.

“It’s ridiculous,” Tamborinyoka said.

“How can Biti haul Tsvangirai before a disciplinary hearing when he is no longer part of the MDC? Biti and his renewal team were expelled from the party and they said they were going to form their own party.

“We urge the renewal team to concentrate on their party and leave Tsvangirai alone. The president is seized with national issues and does not have time for such.”

Tamborinyoka said his boss would not respond to attacks by the renewal team as he had better things to do.

“This is madness at its best,” he said.

“We won’t be reduced to such low levels were we must respond to foolishness. We are concerned about national issues and not petty childish games.”

Biti and his allies said they were suspending Tsvangirai along with five other senior members namely MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora; deputy president Thokozani Khupe; national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa; national chairman Lovemore Moyo and his deputy Morgan Komichi.

Biti’s faction said Tsvangirai had been suspended from the MDC because of a “remarkable failure of leadership”.

Biti’s faction said the MDC’s national council had voted to suspend Tsvangirai because the party had been “transformed into a fiefdom of the leader.”

A few days later Tsvangirai’s MDC responded by expelling Biti, Elton Mangoma, Samuel Sipepa-Nkomo, the interim chairperson of the group, and others. Biti was an “opportunist” who was being manipulated by President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party, Tsvangirai said.

“He (Biti) deceived us all,” Tsvangirai said then.

“The man doesn’t believe in anything, except his power.”

The dispute spilled into Parliament where Tsvangirai’s group sought the recall of all legislators backing Biti.

But Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda told the feuding factions to take their fight to the courts.

The divisions in the MDC follow its defeat in the 2013 elections.

The election ended the coalition the MDC and Zanu PF had formed after disputed elections in 2008. Daily News