ZIMBABWE — HARARE - When the newly-elected Speaker of Parliament, Lovemore Moyo, who is also the MDC national chairman, tied the knot with his wife Nokuthula - daughter of Minister Sthembiso Nyoni - at The Brethren In Christ Church in Bulawayo on 19 April 2003, he never imagined that his marriage would form discussions of deal-making in Zimbabwe's 7th Parliament.

 

Now spokesman of the Arthur Mutambara led MDC, Edwin Mushoriwa claims this marriage between Moyo and Minister Moyo's daughter heavily influenced voting patterns for the post of Speaker of Parliament last week.

 

 

Moyo was voted Speaker of Parliament last week – one of four top positions in government – clinching votes even from the Mutambara-led MDC MPs, who were under instruction to vote for Paul Themba-Nyathi.

The move by Mutambara MPs to revolt against Mutambara and vote for an MDC Tsvangirai Speaker has been widely seen as evidence that all is not well in the camp.

Mutambara is said to have lost control of his troops and there is a new faction that has emerged led by Abednigo Bhebhe – dubbed the MDC Bhebhe or MDC B.

This faction has eight MPs except Moses Mzila-Ndlovu and Max Mkandla.

The faction is more aligned to the MDC Tsvangirai and opposed Mutambara's attempts to ingratiate himself with Mugabe.

Informed sources say Mutambara could face an inglorious exit from the faction or could be left in the wilderness through an open revolt in the camp, said a source.

But Mushoriwa insists all is well in the faction.
"I categorically state that there is no revolt in our camp, it's a figment of some people's imagination," Mushoriwa told ZimDaily. "No one in our camp is desperate to get into bed with Zanu (PF)."

He said what was construed as a revolt in Parliament by the faction's 10 MPs last week was actually the result of a deal cut between the MDC Tsvangirai and Zanu (PF) and not between the Mutambara MDC and Zanu (PF).

 

Mushoriwa said Mutambara was firmly in charge and reports that he had secured Cabinet posts in Mugabe's government was a smear campaign by the faction's detractors.

Mushoriwa claimed that Minister Nyoni canvassed for support from Zanu (PF) legislators to vote for Moyo – her son-in-law - for the Speakership.

Zanu (PF) did not field a candidate for the Speakership. But a party parliamentary caucus held at the Shake Shake Building that houses Zanu (PF) in Harare Sunday, a day before the voting, resolved that the party would unanimously back Themba-Nyathi.

However, the plan flopped when Moyo was voted by officials across the political divide.
Mushoriwa insists that there is no revolt in the Mutambara camp, and said if anything there is a revolt in Zanu (PF) – where Minister Nyoni defied protocol and lined up Zanu (PF) MPs to vote for her son-in-law.

Moyo, the MP for Matobo, wed his wife, the daughter of the senior Zanu (PF) official, under controversial circumstances in 2003.

Nokuthula Moyo, 31, the Speaker's wife, is the daughter of the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Development – a very close confidante of President Mugabe.
Nyoni is also a top Zanu PF politburo member.

At least 500 guests, including senior Zanu (PF) and MDC officials attended their wedding back in 2003, which was a private function, with an extravagant reception held at the Amphitheater and attended by this reporter.

Guests at that wedding included senior Zanu (PF) officials Dumiso Dabengwa, Pearson Mbalekwa, Victor Chitongo and Moyo's father-in-law Peter Baka Nyoni, a columnist with the State-controlled Chronicle newspaper in Bulawayo.

Also in attendance was Gibson Sibanda, the then main MDC vice-president, then main MDC secretary-general Welshman Ncube, and Japhet Ndabeni-Ncube, the then Mayor of Bulawayo, among others.

 

Got a story, opinion or want your letter published, please e-mail Editor at editor@zimdaily.com