GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA

HARARE-The much touted constitutional torch bearers, Movement for Democratic Change (MDCT), led by Douglas Mwonzora is on the brink of another split after 

party chairpersons from Zaka challenged the constitutionality of appointments of all national and standing committee members.

The party’s chairpersons from all four Zaka constituencies wrote a letter accusing the president of the party and the national council of shredding the MDC constitution by assuming the nominations for national and standing committee positions is the sole domain of the national council.

Part of the letter dated December 13, 2022 seen by The Mirror which was signed by Farai Gwenhure of Zaka Central, Tinovonga Chatize of Zaka North, Tizai Tumbare of Zaka East and Joseph Mutomba of Zaka West which was copied to Masvingo provincial executive, MDC national chairperson, MDC national vice chairperson, MDC organising secretary and MDC president reads; 

“The National council resolutions of November 20 and December 3, 2022 were not received in good taste with the lower structures in Zaka’s four constituencies. Nominations for candidates contesting for national standing committee positions can never be the domain of the national council. It has always been the right of all provinces. It is therefore a direct shredding of the MDC constitution to allocate such mandate to the national council or an individual or group of individuals.

“Let it be known to your office that we are still in the process of confirming ward and district structures. How can we have musangano unozvimbira kumusoro setsvimbo? Further take notice that the notice for the congress is arbitrarily  too short. We suspect it is meant to exclude others.  We raised the above issues with our provincial leadership, which recommended that we should write to you, at the meeting held on December 10, 2022.

“In short, the announcement of congress is unlawful. The nomination process engaged is treasonous and a clear betrayal of the people’s struggle. The national council has no mandate to nominate standing committee candidates. 

“Above all, it is disappointing if it’s true that a whole president of a party would appoint all national and standing committee members. This is what the Supreme Court rubbished in the Mashavira case.” 

However, Mwonzora’s spokesperson, Lloyd Damba, rubbished the letter and took a dig on Elias Mudzuri accusing him of masterminding the whole issue. He further said that the former vice president is a hypocrite who accepted to serve as vice president for two years after seconding the same process in 2020, but is shamefully reducing party politics to village politics because he is now out of the power matrix.

Damba  said the letter has no merit because it does note quote any clause of the party constitution which has been breached.   He went on to say Article 6 gives power to the National Standing Committee to invite any secretary to its meetings and gap fillings are allowed after death resignation and departure of members. 

He scoffed the authors of the letter saying reading the constitution and interpreting it are two different things and that just mentioning the Mashavira case without delving into specifics of the judgement is being naive.

“It’s a case of sour grapes. Article 17.1 is the same article that was used to nominate Engineer Mudzuri, Morgan Komichi Thokozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora in 2020 at the Extra Ordinary Congress, but Mudzuri and his village herd boys kept silent not only that, but Mudzuri and team proposed the National Council Nomination in 2020. So what is the difference now?

“So for him and a handful of his followers to start complaining now after they set precedence over the same is hypocrisy. Mudzuri was not vice president by a popular vote, but was appointed by the President after he just got 14 votes in 2020.  He should not waste our time on this issue we have a party to rebuild and he should concentrate on his retirement.

“Let me use this platform to call Mudzuri to order before we are forced to take action against his divisive nature. I mean you do not reduce our national politics to the extent of driving to your village to coerce your kinsmen to reduce a national politics to a village compound issue as if it is a personal issue. The MDC is a national party not a party for kinsman. A party united in its diversity not divided in its diversity,” said Damba. 

However, Mudzuri could not be reached for comment as he continued dropping calls.