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Tendai Biti

Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Reporter
FORMER MDC-T stalwart and Makokoba legislator Mr Gorden Moyo, who left the beleaguered party last month citing lack of leadership, has joined the Renewal Team which is calling for the removal of party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.The move comes as the team led by party secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti is on the verge of forming a political party after announcing members of its National Executive Committee last Friday.

The Renewal Team has since dropped the MDC-T’s red colour and adopted orange as its main colour and will use a new slogan: “MDC-Team Renewal: The party of choice; The party of choice: MDC-Team Renewal”.

The team will also continue to use the open palm, but will drop Mr Tsvangirai’s name on other popular statements they will be using, which are borrowed from MDC-T.

Mr Moyo, a former MDC-T Bulawayo chairman, was last Friday appointed to lead the Renewal Team’s Diaspora and international relations committee, one of several working committees which make up the team’s National Executive Committee.

When he resigned in June, Mr Moyo said the MDC-T had become confused.

“On this day, the 13th of June 2014, I, Gorden Moyo, am  stepping down from the office of the chair of Bulawayo province with immediate effect,” he said. “An angel of darkness has visited our party. We have been raped by a demon and become like the Tower of Babel – full of confusion.

“I can’t pretend there is one MDC and so for avoidance of doubt I wrote to both of them.”

Former spokesperson for the Professor Arthur Mutambara led MDC faction Mr Maxwell Zimuto also joined the renewal group and was appointed to serve in the recruitment and mobilisation committee.

The Renewal Team is led by suspended MDC-T secretary general Mr Tendai Biti and is now making its first steps to evolve into a fully-fledged political party following the appointment of the committees.

Mr Biti and his team have been calling on Mr Tsvangirai to step down, accusing him of leadership failure that resulted in successive electoral losses to Zanu-PF.

The Renewal Team’s National Executive Committee will be made up of 16 working committees tasked with various activities.

Mr Biti will be chairing finance, administration and policy and research functions of the grouping, while former MDC-T deputy treasurer general Mr Elton Mangoma will chair the informal sector and livelihoods committee.

Former MP for Masvingo Central Mr Jeffreyson Chitando will lead the recruitment and mobilisation committee, while the faction’s spokesperson Mr Jacob Mafume will chair the communications committee.

Dzivarasekwa National Assembly representative Solomon Madzore will be chair of the organising committee, Mbizo MP Mr Settlement Chikwinya will chair the labour and civic society committee, while Mrs Kerry Kay will head the local government portfolio.

Former Mazowe Central MP Mr Shepherd Mushonga will head legal affairs, Kuwadzana legislator Mrs Lucia Matibenga will chair social welfare and Mr Last Maengahama will lead the cadership development and ideology position.

Parliamentary affairs will be chaired by Kambuzuma lawmaker Mr Willas Madzimure and Constitution implementation will be chaired by Ms Luta Shaba, while former Masvingo Urban MP Mr Tongai Matutu will be head of elections.

Mr Mafume denied that they were forming a new party when he announced the chairpersons of the working committees.

“We haven’t formed our own new party, but we have expelled certain leaders, he said. The message for renewal is resonating with many of our members.  ’It has taken time for some of them to think about these issues, it is a marathon and not a sprint. We are doing this for 2018 where there is the next election and we are willing to contribute to the national development.’’

Senator for Harare Mrs Rorana Muchiwa, Tsholotsho North MP Mrs Roselene Nkomo, Dangamvura-Chikanga MP Mr Arnold Tsunga and Mr Mushonga attended their first public meeting as members of the Renewal Team on Friday.

Mr Mafume said their faction would work to provide jobs, education and a stable economy for Zimbabweans.

He also backed land reform, saying the exercise spearheaded by Zanu-PF was irreversible.

“The land question is irreversible and every Zimbabwean must benefit from the land, he said. The land audit will weed out corruption and multiple land ownership.”

The Renewal Team has said it will hold its first congress in March next year.

It emerged over the weekend that at least 19 legislators from both the National Assembly and Senate have so far defected to the Renewal Team.

The MDC-T has 49 National Assembly members and 21 in the Senate.

The legislators include Tendai Biti (Harare East), Lucia Matibenga (Kuwadzana), Evelyn Masaiti Muzungu (non-constituency), Simon Sipepa-Nkomo (Lobengula), Mrs Roselene Nkomo (Tsholotsho North), Willas Madzimure (Kambuzuma), Settlement Chikwinya (Mbizo), Solomon Madzore (Dzivarasekwa), Paul Madzore (Glen View South), Reggie Moyo (Luveve) and Bekithemba Nyathi (Pelandaba-Mpopoma).

The others are Judith Muzhavazhe (non-constituency), Brian Tshuma (Hwange Central), Arnold Tsunga (Dangamvura-Chikanga), Gorden Moyo (Makokoba), Moses Manyengavana (Highfied West), Sekai Holland (Senator Harare) Watchy Sibanda (Senator Matabeleland South) and Rorana Muchihwa (Senator Harare).