WASHINGTON DC —
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Treasurer Roy Bennett says he is “stepping aside” from fulltime involvement in his party, taking exception at what he calls a departure by some of his colleagues from the movement’s founding principles and values.
The self-exiled politician says he is disgruntled by the party’s decision to allow its winning members of parliament to take up their positions in the upcoming Zanu-PF dominated legislature despite the MDC-T’s allegations of voter fraud.
Bennett also criticised some members who lost the elections for falling over each other to stand for Harare mayor and the winning ones for “rushing into parliament for the small-trappings of a twin cab, a salary and what they can eat rather than stand with those that have been cheated.”
Bennet said the MDC-T should not be part of the incoming government, adding he will be resigning his position if that happens.
For perspective, we reached political analyst Nkululeko Sibanda of Huddersfield University in Britain who said, “There is no doubt that parts of his argument are going to resonate with what many in the MDC are saying. There is no doubt that there is a leadership vacuum in the MDC right now, that there are leadership squabbles and that things aren’t going very well.”
He said, “However, I don’t think that this is what Roy Bennet is worried about. It is clear to me that what he is worried about is the fact that they have not done what he wants them to do. What he is angry about is that Morgan Tsvangirai has listened to his 40-something elected members (of parliament) and some within his party instead of listening to the person of Roy Bennet.”
The self-exiled politician says he is disgruntled by the party’s decision to allow its winning members of parliament to take up their positions in the upcoming Zanu-PF dominated legislature despite the MDC-T’s allegations of voter fraud.
Bennett also criticised some members who lost the elections for falling over each other to stand for Harare mayor and the winning ones for “rushing into parliament for the small-trappings of a twin cab, a salary and what they can eat rather than stand with those that have been cheated.”
Bennet said the MDC-T should not be part of the incoming government, adding he will be resigning his position if that happens.
For perspective, we reached political analyst Nkululeko Sibanda of Huddersfield University in Britain who said, “There is no doubt that parts of his argument are going to resonate with what many in the MDC are saying. There is no doubt that there is a leadership vacuum in the MDC right now, that there are leadership squabbles and that things aren’t going very well.”
He said, “However, I don’t think that this is what Roy Bennet is worried about. It is clear to me that what he is worried about is the fact that they have not done what he wants them to do. What he is angry about is that Morgan Tsvangirai has listened to his 40-something elected members (of parliament) and some within his party instead of listening to the person of Roy Bennet.”