HARARE - Envisaged talks between opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his former secretary-general Tendai Biti, have all but collapsed, with the MDC ruling out ever engaging the rebels.
A charge sheet compiled by Biti and company against Tsvangirai has dealt a mortal blow to the talks. Biti has summoned Tsvangirai to appear before his disciplinary committee on June 18, a demand spurned by Tsvangirai.
Insiders said Sekai Holland, the chairperson of the MDC’s Guardian Council, has been frantically trying to open talks between the two feuding sides but to no avail.
MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora ruled out re-engagement talks.
“The MDC wishes to categorically state that there is no mediation taking place whatsoever between the party and the rebels who have now been expelled by the National Council,” Mwonzora told the Daily News yesterday.
“We note with concern the false narrative to the effect that Sekai Holland is leading mediation efforts between the MDC and the rebels led by the former secretary-general, Tendai Biti.
“In the party, Holland is the chairperson of the Guardian’s Council and has not been mandated to play any other role. In any case, the National Council of the party has not sanctioned any mediation efforts between the party and the rebels.”
Efforts to speak to Holland yesterday were fruitless.
Jacob Mafume, spokesperson of Biti’s MDC renewal team, however, backed the mediation efforts.
“Although we are not aware of such efforts, we are of the view that the Guardian Council is an important part of the party,” Mafume said.
“If it is doing something, we should let them do so. We are surprised that our counterparts are hell-bent on frustrating the council. We are waiting on what the council is doing and we will not jump the gun.”