BULAWAYO - The MDC Matabeleland North provincial executive led by Sengezo Tshabangu, which was disbanded two weeks ago over alleged links to the rival camp calling for party leader Morgan Tsvangirai to step down, is back in the office after an executive meeting ruled in their favour.
This came out at a provincial executive meeting that was held recently in Lupane where an earlier decision to oust them was nullified by the provincial executive council.
The executive says it wields legal representative powers for the province in the wake of ructions that threaten to sunder loyalties following internal squabbles currently rocking the opposition party.
“I stand guided by the resolutions of the Provincial Council meeting on Saturday at Lupane Hall. The structures have said we are the legal executive and that the so-called executive that was elected into office last month is illegal,” said Tshabangu.
“The meeting resolved to charge this new team led by Thembinkosi Sibindi with indiscipline. All other members who were involved in planning and organising a meeting that resulted in the executive’s ouster also face disciplinary action,” he said.
Before the disbandment, Tshabangu’s executive stood accused of, among other things, failure to perform and lacking accountability in the running of the party’s affairs.
But Tshabangu argued the meeting that led to his office bearer’s ouster was unconstitutional and was attended by bogus delegates who had no constitutional powers to boot the executive out.
He also accused MDC deputy national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe of sowing seeds of divisions in Matabeleland North and being the mastermind of the ouster of his executive.
Bhebhe has denied the charge.
All the disturbances in the province, started after the ex-deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma called for leadership renewal.