Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been accused of betraying the people of Bulawayo by refusing to contest the 10 June by-elections because he is surrendering seats that the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front has never won to the ruling party. The seats became vacant after legislators who were elected on the MDC-T ticket but ditched the party to form the Renewal Team were expelled from Parliament for crossing the floor. The MDC-T endorsed congress decision on Friday to boycott all elections until there are electoral reforms. According to NewZimbabwe.Com MDC-T deputy president Thokozani Khupe was against the boycott because the party was surrendering seats to ZANU-PF. “There is no consensus in the party as we speak because Khupe and a lot of other guys feel that Tsvangiriai was going tribal by giving the Bulawayo seats to ZANU-PF,” NewZimbabwe.Com quoted an unnamed senior MDC-T official. But party spokesman Douglas Mzwonzora brushed this off saying: “There is nothing tribal about boycotting the by-elections and besides it is not only the Bulawayo or Matabeleland seats which the party is not contesting. There are going to be by-elections in Harare, Midlands and Hurungwe and elsewhere where the party will not be contesting. It is true that if we contest we will retain all the Bulawayo seats but as a matter of principle the MDC is not going to contest in any election until reforms are implemented”.
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