Claver Nyuki
The split prone MDC faces arguably its strongest test post-Tsvangirai era, when that party commences its elective congress from 24 May 2019 to 26 May 2019.
Contradictory statements have already started circulating with that party’s Deputy Treasurer General, Chalton Hwende declaring that the President’s position would not be contested and only 4 positions would, while other reports claim that the co-Deputy leader, Elias Mudzuri and Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora are warming up to the idea of contesting for the Presidency.
For a party that has been working tirelessly to present itself to anyone who cared to listen, especially, the international community as a democratic party, the press statement by the MDC youth assembly on 4 March 2019 only managed to reveal that party’s true colours, and pointed to a bumpy road ahead.
The MDC youth assembly declared that anyone wishing to contest against Chamisa would be regarded as an enemy of the party, yet the party claims to be democratic, “Anyone who has aspirations, who thinks or dreams of contesting Chamisa, is declaring themselves as enemies of Harare province, an enemy of progress in Zimbabwe.”
MDC has a history of splits, in 2005 the then Secretary General, Welshman Ncube broke away from the Tsvangirai led MDC following disagreements over the party’s participation in senatorial elections.
In 2014, Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma defected from the MDC after challenging Tsvangirai to step down and give others a chance.
In 2018, after Tsvangirai’s passing another split occurred when Thokozani Khupe broke away and formed her splinter party after Chamisa bulldozed his way to the Presidency.
Fast forward to 2019, we may have a new player on the field but the party’s allergy to democracy is still the same. Chamisa’s ascendancy to power was and still is questionable as he elbowed out the only Vice President Khupe who was elected at congress.
The fact that Chamisa was not voted in power, power retention remains a top priority on his to do list, this explains why he sent a delegation led by Amos Chibaya on a nationwide tour to convince party structures that Chamisa should not be contested at Congress.
Now that that plan has failed with some provinces already declaring their intention to nominate Mwonzora instead of Chamisa, a situation that has riled Chamisa into restructuring the party structures.
The restructuring process aims at weakening Mwonzora’s supposed strongholds while consolidating Chamisa’s strongholds.
Not only is the MDC undemocratic, it is a violent party. Who does not remember the violence that was unleashed on the late Trudy Stevenson after openly disagreeing with Tsvangirai?
Or the assault on Biti and Mangoma after challenging Tsvangirai to step down and give someone else a chance to bring new ideas arguing that he had lost 4 elections hence the need to renew the leadership.
The MDC has on numerous occasions shown that it is an undemocratic party and those in leadership positions are only interested in power consolidation. Those who wish to challenge Chamisa at the elective congress should be allowed to do so and not be persecuted, a highly unlikely scenario.
Another split is looming after the May congress.
