Chamisa says united MDC would be ideal Christmas present
By Lance Guma
08 November 2006

Speculation continues to grow over possible moves by Zimbabwe’s divided Movement for Democratic Change to build bridges and unite the opposing camps. Nelson Chamisa, a spokesman for the Tsvangirai MDC, added to the momentum Wednesday by suggesting such a reunification ‘would be an ideal Christmas present for Zimbabweans.’ Chamisa told Newsreel there was strength in numbers and that the majority of Zimbabweans were clear in identifying the common enemy as Mugabe and his regime. He says constant bickering will not help the cause of the opposition and that in the meantime innocent people were suffering on the ground.

A Voice of America report had suggested that the Tsvangirai MDC had already appointed a committee comprising ANZ boss Sam Sipepa Nkomo, trade unionist Lucia Matibenga and lawyer Innocent Gonese. The Mutambara MDC is said to have appointed its Secretary General Welshman Ncube, his deputy Priscilla Misihairambwi and Paul Themba Nyathi the director of elections as part of its negotiating committee. Gabriel Chaibva, a spokesperson for the Mutambara MDC, denied they had set up such a committee. He says the story is news to him and all he knows is what the media has published so far. He maintained however that their group has always been open to unity talks but that these have not taken off .

Chamisa on the other hand says the Tsvangirai MDC convened a strategic meeting at the weekend were it was agreed they need to consolidate the party’s gains since its formation in 1999. He says they are working on making the MDC a formidable force and this meant they had to ‘refocus and re-energize’ their structures ‘because people have their hope in the MDC.’ ‘We cannot have the left hand trying to steal what the right hand is holding,’ he added. Chaibva meantime says he is not aware of any approaches to their camp and that if this did happen it would go through their party’s leadership structures and as spokesperson he would know about it.

Commentators believe pressure is building on the two sides to reunite and that civic society groups and increasingly vocal church groups were all singing from the same hymn book. The MDC split into two groups last year in October over whether to participate in senate elections or not.