Congress to be ultimate decider of MDC crisis

By Lance Guma
07 November 2005

The Movement for Democratic Change party congress set for the 26 th of January 2006 now looks set to be the last remaining hope for resolving the crisis rocking the opposition. The party split at the weekend along regional lines over whether to participate in the senate elections. Delegates to the congress are now expected to put an end to the matter as delegates country-wide will gather to vote out whoever has the least support.

On Saturday, 47 out of 66 MDC National Council members met in Harare and reversed a controversial decision to participate in the senate poll. Several key members sent in their apologies. Ncube is alleged to have said he had an emergency to attend to in Lupane while Chimanikire said he was in hospital suffering from a broken leg. The meeting called for by party president Morgan Tsvangirai was notably boycotted by the faction led by Ncube, one which is interested in participating in the senate.

Despite the absence of key Matabeleland party leaders, those that attended made up the desired quorum to effect binding resolutions. Observers note it had always been clear the pro-senate camp would not attend, fearing Tsvangirai would win a second round of voting after intense lobbying around the country. National Party Chairman and a key member of the top six, Isaac Matongo, confirmed his switch of allegiance by deserting the pro-senate camp and chairing the meeting.

Significantly 20 out of 31 National Executive Committee members were present and this meant 10 out of 12 provinces were represented at either National Council or National Executive level. According to Sekai Holland the meeting was characterized by articulate presentations, open comments and a united approach to solving the crisis. Immediately after the meeting a press conference was held with all the National Council members present.

The faction favouring participation in the senate however dismissed the meeting as illegal and said the resolutions would not be binding. They argue that only the party’s secretariat has the power to call for a National Council meeting and Tsvangirai as party President should not have done this. Secretary General Welshman Ncube urged rebel senate candidates to continue campaigning for the elections. Its reported Ncube and some of his top lieutenants addressed a poorly attended rally in Binga at the weekend to drum up support for the senate candidate in the area.

Squabbling over participation has not helped and allegiances at grassroots level seem to be based on ethnicity rather than principle. Meanwhile the National Organising Secretary for Youth in the MDC, Willard Somerai, questioned the use of police resources by pro-senate candidates in the Midlands North province. Edson Nyathi a candidate for the Kwekwe, Zhombe and Gokwe areas was transported by a police ‘Santana’ vehicle to address a campaign rally in the Pamushakata area at the weekend. The unprecedented police protection for the ‘opposition’ senate candidates has left him in no doubt there is collusion somewhere along the line.

Somerai, who also attended the National Council meeting, said the party President as custodian of the party had every right to convene it. Ironically all those who were calling the meeting illegal sent in their apologies for not being able to attend.