STATE Enterprises Minister Gorden Moyo has been forced to deny he is angling for the deputy presidency of the MDC party led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai ahead of its May congress.

The state-run Sunday News reported over the weekend that Moyo was positioning himself to challenge Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe at the congress slated for May 10.

Moyo called a press conference at his house in Bulawayo on Wednesday to declare: “I'm not stampeding, I'm not part of the pack if ever it is there, that is jostling for the deputy presidency in my party.

“I'm only available for a post when deployed by the party and the people, even at the lowest post. Let everyone learn from me that I am not in that contest and there is no division or animosity in my party.”

Also said to be positioning themselves to challenge Khupe is the party’s national chairman Lovemore Moyo, senior official Norman Mabhena and women’s boss Theresa Makone.

The Sunday News said Khupe was primed for the fall because of her “lack of strength and capacity” to be an effective deputy to Tsvangirai, who is a safe bet to stay on as leader for another five years.