Unveiling the new members, who were all bussed from Umguza District, to members of the media, the party’s Deputy Secretary, Moses Mzila Ndlovu, said the people was defecting after being frustrated by the policies of MDC-T.
“These people are coming from MDC-T to join us after being provoked by some derogatory statements that were being made its leadership there,” he said.
The two MDC groupings have been engaged in a battle for hearts and minds here lately. The MDC-T recently paraded the children of the late former MDC Vice president Gibson Sibanda, Mbuso and Thandi. alleging that Sibanda had not wanted to be part of the ‘rebels’ but was misled by Ncube.
Mzila Ndlovu, who is also Minister in the Organ of National Healing and Reconciliation, said the MDC-T had a propensity to make tribal and derogatory statements, and this was forcing people to leave the party.
“They have made a lot of provocative statements by calling our party a rebel party. But you don’t win people by insulting them, this is the reason why these people have decided to leave them and join us,” he said.
He accused the MDC-T of being an intolerant party that did not fully embrace the principles of democracy.
“It’s unfortunate that if someone decides to cross the floor, the MDC-T views that person as a sell-out and a dissident. But this is against the principles of democracy that they purport to champion,” he said.
“Mr Sibanda’s children were never our members but we were surprised when we heard that they had defected to MDC-T defected from which party we ask,” he said.
Post published in: News