MDC-T national chairman Lovemore Moyo has called on the party to make a deliberate effort at tribal balancing on the eve of a key congress.
Moyo said the party must ensure minority tribes got more “substantive” posts as opposed to deputising to a Shona majority.
The MDC-T’s three-day congress opens in Bulawayo on Thursday with party leader Morgan Tsvangirai the only senior official assured of keeping his position.
Moyo said tribal exclusion in political representation at the top of political movements started with Zanu PF, admitting that some MDC-T officials had got indoctrinated in that culture and genuinely had no understanding of the aspirations of minorities.
He told the Voice of America’s Studio 7: “What I can say is that this is something that we must be patient about in the way we approach it. Let’s not forget the history. From independence, Zanu PF’s rule has been marked by the marginalisation of the Ndebele tribe.
“When we started the MDC, some among us were previously in Zanu PF and these are people who have not felt the pain that Ndebeles felt during Gukurahundi.
“It’s time that the people we work with understand the importance of respecting all tribes, making all tribes feel as part of Zimbabwe and part of MDC. We are fixing it, it’s not easy, but we must face it.”
Moyo’s candid comments lifted a lid on growing concerns in the Matabeleland regions that political actors from there are being crowded out of key structures in the party.
He added: “The only substantive post, one a Ndebele doesn't deputise, is the national chairman’s post which I am seeking to retain on Saturday.
“I have heard that there is someone [Lucia Matibenga] who has put his name forward to contest me and they are not from Matabeleland. That’s what people are pointing at, that a certain group is trying to grab everything not realising that other tribes should also be represented, and feel part.
“We will work hard as Matabeleland provinces to ensure we get a few positions which are substantive.”
Meanwhile, Moyo said the congress must pass a resolution on dealing with members fingered in violent campaigning in the primary elections. Voting in Bulawayo province had to be postponed twice after supporters of Matson Hlalo and Gorden Moyo, who eventually prevailed in the chairman's contest, clashed.
“The message of the standing committee and president [Tsvangirai] is very clear and unambiguous. No-one will be spared when it comes to the issue of dealing with indiscipline and violence,” Moyo said.
“In the meantime, we have assigned our security people to document, in all the provinces, the people who have been involved in violent activities. We know them in some instances, we know their sponsors in some instances. It will be easy to identify these individuals and deal with them.
“We must get a congress resolution as to what will happen to these individuals. There would be no sacred cows. We would be able to confront every incident with due diligence to make sure we put a stop to violence.”
Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga is the guest of honour at the congress which will give Morgan Tsvangirai a third term which will stretch his leadership of the party to 17 years when it expires.