ZANU PF has unwittingly exposed how it planted several spies within the top levels of MDC-T structures in an effort to destabilise and weaken the Morgan Tsvangirai-led opposition party.

by BLESSED MHLANGA

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai

The ruling party’s Midlands provincial secretary for security, Owen Ncube, exposed the plot last Friday when he reportedly told provincial security leaders that his team had deployed Pearson Mbalekwa to the opposition.

This came up as party leaders were vetting Mbalekwa’s CV ahead of the Chiwundura by-elections, where he had won the right to represent Zanu PF to fill the vacancy left by the recent death of Kizito Chivamba.

Zanu PF national commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere has since blocked the former Zvishavane MP from representing the party arguing he contested the primary elections without the blessing of the ruling party.

Mbalekwa joined the MDC-T and served as Tsvangirai’s security adviser during the coalition government.

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“There were attempts to have Mbalekwa disqualified because of his stint at MDC-T, but the meeting, which was chaired by (Daniel Mackenzie) Ncube, thwarted the attempts,” said a source, who attended the meeting.

“Ncube told the meeting Mbalekwa was a Zanu PF asset in the MDC-T and he had shared information with his team, leading to the overwhelming victory for the ruling party in 2013.”

Mbalekwa, a former Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative, quit the opposition in 2013 following the party’s third successive electoral loss to Zanu PF.

Mbalekwa denied being a Zanu PF spy, but could not explain why rejoined Zanu PF and was already being allowed to stand in elections.

“Let people say what they want to say. I was in the MDC for six years and stayed out of politics for two years. If they want to say I was a spy, it’s up to them,” he told NewsDay.

Zanu PF spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo also dismissed allegations that his party had planted spies in other political parties.

“They have their own problems and they want to blame those on us. They should stop being cry-babies and leave Zanu PF out of their internal squabbles,” he said.

Mbalekwa said he would be contesting the 2018 general elections on a Zanu PF ticket after he withdrew his candidacy for the Chiwundura by-election for “personal” reasons. Provincial spokesperson, Cornelius Mupereri said: “He was readmitted in the party two years ago and due process was followed. The matter was discussed at the PCC (provincial co-ordinating committee) and he has been in Zanu PF like anybody else. He won the primary elections resoundingly.”

MDC-T has claimed on several occasions that Zanu PF spies had infiltrated its rank and file and have been central in engineering splits within the party.

Party spokesperson, Obert Gutu, said the MDC-T was now cleverer after realising that Zanu PF was deploying State security agents to destroy the party.

“We know that there is a counter intelligence desk at the CIO working overtime to infiltrate and break the MDC from within, but that will not work, we are a people’s project and you can’t break the people. Once bitten, twice shy,” he said.