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Sydney Kawadza, Harare Bureau
Fissures in the MDC-T are reportedly becoming wider amid reports that the top three leaders assaulted a fortnight ago are contemplating joining Dr Nkosana Moyo’s Alliance of the People’s Agenda after the parties had a meeting in South Africa recently.

Impeccable sources from Bulawayo said the beleaguered MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, was planning to visit the party leadership in the southern region as he tries to pacify his dissatisfied vice president Ms Thokozani Khupe, national chairman Mr Lovemore Moyo and national organising secretary Mr Abedinico Ncube.

The trio was assaulted by some party youths who accused them of disrespecting the MDC-T leader after they boycotted the launch of the MDC Alliance in Harare.

They were reportedly meeting party structures from the region to articulate their position on why they missed the launch.

Allegations were also made that Mr Tsvangirai had hired the thugs who attacked the party’s three top leaders at the party headquarters in Bulawayo.

The three top leaders are reportedly unhappy with Mr Tsvangirai’s dictatorial tendencies after he unilaterally formed a coalition with smaller political parties.

While the sources said Mr Tsvangirai would be flying out to Bulawayo tomorrow to meet the party leadership in the region, his spokesperson, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka, yesterday trashed the reports saying his principal would only travel on August 26 for the regional launch of the MDC Alliance.

“Those are lies. Yes, we are going to Bulawayo on August 26 for the MDC Alliance meetings. We are preparing for the alliance launch on August 26. Whatever is being said, do not listen to gutter gossip,” he said.

Mr Tamborinyoka said Mr Tsvangirai was also still waiting for a probe team set up to investigate the assault of the three leaders.

“The president set up a probe team and the team will hand over a report. It’s an internal process which has nothing to do with the newspapers, especially The Herald. It’s an internal process.

“The probe team is doing its investigations and when they are done they will hand-over the report to the president and that certainly has nothing to do with the media. The president will act based on that report,” he said.

Mr Tsvangirai has already suspended top official including MDC-T deputy treasurer Mr Chalton Hwende and the party’s vice spokesperson Ms Tabitha Khumalo over the assault incident.

Also suspended were Harare youth officials Tafadzwa Chimombe, Stephen Chatindo and Gift Taibu of Hatfield and Budiriro.

Mr Tamborinyoka said Mr Tsvangirai was now waiting for comprehensive report from the probe team before he acts.

Meanwhile, the sources said Mr Tsvangirai would be flying into the eye of a storm when he decides to visit Bulawayo.

“There are massive demonstrations being planned ahead of his visit because people still believe he had to do with the violence that rocked the party at our offices,” a source said.

Besides the demonstrations, there are also reports that Ms Khupe, who reportedly flew to South Africa after the assault was planning to dump the party for Dr Moyo’s APA.

“The leaders who are not happy with Tsvangirai’s leadership style flew to South Africa where they had talks with Dr Moyo for possible coalition in the forthcoming elections,” the sources said.

They said the MDC-T leadership were on a whirlwind tour of the region to consult the party structures over their position on the MDC Alliance.

Speaking from Bulawayo yesterday, Mr Bhebhe denied reports that there were meetings in Bulawayo although he said he would be meeting the party structures in Lupane in Matabeleland North, tomorrow.

“That’s nonsense [reports of the trip to South Africa]. It’s a sign of desperation by whoever is coming up with that kind of a theory.

“People should not abuse newspapers by giving them false stories and unfortunately newspapers should learn to verify stories before going for publication,” he said.

However, the sources in Bulawayo said the situation in the MDC-T had become dire since Mr Tsvangirai decided to go it alone in forming the MDC Alliance.

“The disgruntled leadership are weighing up their options and meeting the APA leader Dr Moyo was part of their efforts to see what he has to offer.

“They are also mooting forming what will be MDC MPs Matabeleland Alliance where the legislators from the region will stand alone in the elections,” they said.

Ms Khupe, Mr Moyo and Mr Bhebhe are not happy with events that led to the formation of the MDC Alliance especially the allocation of constituencies in the run up to the agreement with other parties who joined the coalition.

Mr Tsvangirai has formed the MDC Alliance with Transform Zimbabwe, Professor Welshman Ncube’s MDC, Zimbabwe People First, the Multi-Racial Christian Democratic Party, People’s Democratic Party, and Zanu Ndonga.

Mr Tsvangirai has, however, said the coalition process was still work in progress.

In the coalition agreement MDC-T will contest in 114 constituencies; MDC 32; ZimPF 20; MCD 1; PDP 14; and Transform Zimbabwe 19.

The constituency distribution plan has the MDC-T fielding candidates in most urban areas while the majority of rural constituencies have been reserved for the six parties.

Reports say Mr Tsvangirai has reportedly been pressured by the party’s Western backers to form a coalition with other opposition parties ahead of next year’s harmonised elections as a precondition for funding.

The beleaguered opposition leader, whose party headquarters was recently cleared of furniture over a debt, has been accused of defying party protocol to unilaterally form the MDC Alliance.