ARTHUR Mutambara, left, last weekend said Tsvangirai was a 'weak and indecisive' leader

By Patricia Mpofu 

HARARE – Two senior officials of the Arthur Mutambara-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party on Thursday defected to the Morgan Tsvangirai camp, a week after talks to reunite the two parties broke down. 

At a media briefing at the party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday, Silas Mangono and Shaky Matake said they had dumped the Mutambara camp citing lack of “political vision” on the part of the smaller MDC. 

Mangono is the party’s former legislator for Masvingo while Matake was the provincial chairperson of the Mutambara-led MDC in Masvingo province. 

“I wish to announce that, I Silas Joseph Mangono have relinquished both my membership and official positions as the national executive member and portfolio secretary for education of the MDC led by Prof A. Mutambara with immediate effect,” said Mangono. 

“I have decided to rejoin the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC which I helped form,” he said. 

Matake said he had defected from the Mutambara-led group because he wanted to see the opposition fighting as a united front against Mugabe in next year’s presidential election. 

He said he believed that the Tsvangirai group represented the best chance to dislodge the 83-year old Mugabe from power. 

Abednico Bhebhe, the deputy spokesman for the Mutambara camp last night professed ignorance about the defections. 

“I am not aware of what you are taking about. But I do know Mangono and Matake very well. I will get back to you when I get the full details of what is happening,” he said. 

The defections could further weaken the Mutambara-led MDC which has seen several other high profile officials among them Blessing Chebundo, Gift Chimanikire and Samuel Sipepa Nkomo abandon the party to rejoin Tsvangirai. 

Mutambara last weekend said his party would field its own candidates during next year’s parliamentary and presidential elections after talks to reunite the opposition party broke down. 

The robotics professor said Tsvangirai was a “weak and indecisive” leader who had spurned efforts aimed at reuniting the opposition party. 

Political analysts have however warned that Mugabe could be the biggest beneficiary of the bickering within the MDC adding that the split will hand an easy electoral victory to Mugabe and ZANU PF during the elections. - ZimOnline