THE Arthur Mutambara-led MDC has accused the faction headed by Morgan Tsvangirai and Zanu PF of undermining the party and attempting to divide it. In a statement denying that its 10 House of Assembly members voted alongside Tsvangirai parliamentarians to elect Lovemore Moyo as speaker, the MDC-Mutambara camp said it would resist attempts to cause divisions in the party.Moyo is the national chairperson of the MDC-Tsvangirai and was elected speaker of the House of Assembly on August 20 after he defeated the Mutambara faction candidate Paul Themba Nyathi by garnering 110 votes against 98.His election took place amid allegations that nine MPs from the Mutambara formation had recently met Tsvangirai, his deputy Thokozani Khupe and Moyo in Botswana and agreed to support Moyo ahead of Nyathi in exchange for positions and unrevealed incentives.“It was also noted that there was a concerted effort being made by both Zanu PF and MDC-Tsvangirai to undermine the MDC and that the party should not fall prey to these machinations by allowing these parties to sow division in our ranks,” read the statement issued after the party met at the weekend in Kadoma.During the meeting, the MPs who were reported to have gone to Botswana confirmed meeting Moyo, but denied that he asked them to back him.The nine legislators implicated were Edward Mkhosi (Mangwe West), Abednico Bhebhe (Nkayi South), Njabuliso Mguni (Lupane), Nomalanga Mzilikazi Khumalo (Mzingwane), Siyabonga Malandu Ncube (Insiza North), Norman Mpofu (Mangwe East), Maxwell Dube (Tsholotsho South), Patrick Dube (Gwanda North) and Thandeko Mkandla (Gwanda South).“In the circumstances it was unanimously resolved that the Botswana/speaker issue would be closed and that the MDC would move ahead with its parliamentary agenda,” the party said. “In this regard it was agreed that the MDC would be aligned to democracy and to the principles of freedom, tolerance, transparency and respect for the rule of law rather than any political party in the pursuit of its parliamentary agenda.”The party’s 16 MPs — 10 in the House of Assembly and six in Senate, assured the meeting of their support of the MDC and Mutambara’s leadership.“These assurances were accepted by the meeting,” the statement read.  The Mutambara faction also re-affirmed its neutral position regarding the tripartite negotiations aimed at resolving Zimbabwe’s decade-long crisis, stressing that there would be no bilateral agreement would signed with Zanu PF in breach of the July memorandum of understanding between the three parties. – Staff Writers.
