By Christopher Makaza
MDC Vice President, Elias Mudzuri has expressed displeasure over abuse of party constitution by some party leaders which has led to some members approaching the courts challenging Chamisa`s presidency.
The Harvard trained engineer is being attacked by pro MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa`s supporters for intending to challenge Chamisa at the party`s upcoming elective congress.
Mudzuri on his Facebook page posted, “It`s so sad that today we the top leadership of the party is taken to court by our members for abrogating our own constitution. A party full of lawyers waiting for the courts to interpret their own constitution. Where now is the rule of law, Where is the constitutionalism that is supposed to be part of our brand.”
Mudzuri`s sentiments comes after a Gokwe man Ashley Mutungure dragged the party to court challenging the acting presidency of Chamisa.
Mutungure is praying for an order to bar Chamisa from representing the MDC-A in any capacity, to stop him from interfering with party structures and for the secretary general to call for an extraordinary congress.
Chamisa was appointed acting president by the National Executive Council on February 15 2018 after the death of Morgan Tsvangirai who succumbed to cancer of the colony on February 14 2018.
His appointment triggered a split after the then Vice President Dr Thokozani Khupe broke away.
The MDC-A will hold an elective congress in May where it is expected to elect a substantive president.
Mudzuri is on record calling for the party to respect and observe the party constitution. A few weeks ago, he posted on his Twitter page urging the party to create a conducive environment for members to freely elect leaders of their choice.
“MDC-T (MDC) must respect its Constitution, remove fear and factional divisions to enable members to elect a leader that will unite us and focus on ending suffering in Zimbabwe. The coming MDC-T Congress threatens to tear the party apart & jeopardize our chance of winning 2023 elections - ruining the hopes of millions. Lets do what is right,” he said.
Sources within the opposition party say that if elections are to be held constitutionally with the right delegates at the congress based on the party’s constitution, it’s conceivable that Chamisa can be challenged successfully.
Sources have, however, pointed out that because of lack of democracy in the party, there is likely going to have both constitutional and unconstitutional sanctions and impediments being put in the way of anyone who dares challenge Chamisa.
