Bulawayo civic groups compete to promote rival MDC factions

By Lance Guma
22 February 2006

Two of the most prominent civic groups in Matabeleland, Bulawayo Agenda and Bulawayo Dialogue have apparently taken sides in the ongoing opposition feud. This week for example sees the two groups hosting meetings in Bulawayo on Thursday and Friday respectively. Both have invited high-profile individuals aligned with the two factions. Bulawayo Agenda led by Gordon Moyo and thought to be firmly behind MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai has organised a seminar on Thursday which is expected to be attended by Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) President and Tsvangirai ally Lovemore Matombo, Pastor Neta from the Christian Alliance and Dr Themba Dlolo.

The theme for the meeting is ‘Economic Woes worsen: what are the prospects?’. Bulawayo Dialogue on the other hand has lined up a Friday meeting with a similar theme ‘Food shortages: Who is to blame?’ and invited pro-senate officials including Members of Parliament, Priscilla Misihairambwi and Job Sikhala. The same meeting will apparently be attended by Zanu PF’s Cain Mathema who is also Governor for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province and Sikhumbuzo Ndiweni of the newly launched Patriotic Union of Matabeleland (PUMA).

Bulawayo Dialogue led by Qubani Moyo and Jethro Mpofu have voiced open support for the pro-senate faction of the party while Bulawayo Agenda campaigned against the senate elections and even distributed fliers to that effect in the run up to the poll. The group played a key role in mobilizing support for Morgan Tsvangirai’s White City rally in Bulawayo just before the senate elections. With both groups pulling in different directions, how long they will keep organising rival meetings in the city remains to be seen.

The MDC split into two factions when party leader Morgan Tsvangirai defied a National Council vote on whether to participate in the polls citing the sentiment of the party’s grassroots and the fact it was a waste of national resources. His colleagues however accused him of being dictatorial and said he should respect the narrow October 12 vote. The political fallout with his colleagues has severely weakened the party.