Who is who in the MDC-UK district?

By Tichaona Sibanda
12 January 2006

The Birmingham meeting held by MDC activists in the UK this past Sunday reaffirmed the district’s loyalty to MDC Zimbabwe and a commitment to the party's objectives and principles as upheld by the National Council and party President Morgan Tsvangirai.

The meeting, which attracted over 300 activists from branches all over the UK, has however been denounced as a non-event by Sipho Nkala, the MDC UK secretary who sent out an e-mail saying the gathering ‘does not reflect any aspect of policy, procedure or the constitution of the MDC’

These sharp differences in policy issues in the UK now point towards a split as Sipho’s group has now announced that they would be having their own meeting in Leicester at the end of this month to chart the way forward for the party in the UK.

According to Washington Ali, chairman of the UK district, the Birmingham meeting reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to adopt and abide by all National council resolutions passed in Harare in December. They also raised a motion disassociating themselves from the group led by Gibson Sibanda and Welshman Ncube.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Ali said the Birmingham assembly was unanimous and united in their resolve to commit themselves to the struggle and appealed for support and guidance from the leadership in Zimbabwe.

MDC Information and Publicity Secretary Matthew Nyashanu said the e-mail sent out by Sipho was a mudslinging act bent on dividing the party in the diaspora.

In response, Sipho said her camp was only following procedure in as far as the party’s constitution was concerned.