Zanu PF says not involved in MDC mess

Harare(New Ziana) – The ruling Zanu PF party said on Wednesday it was not involved in the unfolding leadership crisis in the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) which early this week resulted in a recall of some of the party’s parliamentarians from the legislature.

Three of the party’s legislators were recalled from the lower house, and one from the upper house on Tuesday in the latest factional infighting in the MDC.

The opposition party has been engulfed in a leadership tussle since last month after the Supreme Court ruled that Nelson Chamisa had illegally grabbed the MDC-T’s presidency after the death of its leader Morgan Tsvangirai in 2017.

The ruling handed the party’s leadership to Thokozani Khupe, Tsvangirai’s deputy elected at the MDC-T’s last congress in 2014.

Since the Supreme Court ruling, Chamisa and Khupe have been tussling for party leadership, culminating in Tuesday’s recall from parliament of the four legislators aligned to the former by the latter.

After the recall, which represents a sharp escalation of infighting in the opposition party, Chamisa’s allies pointed an accusing figure at the government for allegedly stirring up the intra-party troubles.

But Zanu PF secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu on Wednesday scoffed off the accusations, saying the ruling party had no hand in the unfolding political drama in the MDC, nor was it interested in it.

He was addressing the media after a Politburo meeting.

“The meeting took cognisance of the disarray in the MDC opposition party, and this exemplified why Zanu PF will forever be the party of the people,” he said.

“That’s (accusations) recognition that we are the party in power, that we are the party of choice. The MDC is grappling with a decision by the Supreme Court – how Zanu PF comes into it is something that we fail to understand,” Mpofu added.

“Why should we enjoy their issues? In any case it’s not Zanu PF that went to court, its them that went to court.”

New Ziana