MDC vice president says Tsvangirai breached constitution

By Violet Gonda
19 October 2005

The crisis in the MDC deepened Wednesday when the party Vice President Gibson Sibanda added his voice to the chaos that is taking place over the senate elections.

In a strongly worded press statement, the party’s second in command accused Morgan Tsvangirai of breaching party laws and misrepresenting facts. He said the current crisis is a culmination of sad events in the party since the beginning of the year.

Tsvangirai is accused of reinstating unruly youths who had been expelled for assaulting senior members. Sibanda said the youths and 2 of Tsvangirai’s bodyguards had been expelled several months ago by the National Council after they were found responsible for co-ordinating the violent activities. But it’s reported that the MDC president re-engaged them without conducting further investigations.

Furthermore, Tsvangirai is accused of continuing to take action which is in conflict with the decision taken by the National Council over the senate elections. The Vice President alleges Tsvangirai is doing so despite the fact that prior to the vote, he implored all members of the council to accept and defend whatever the outcome of the process. He is also accused of misrepresenting the results of the vote by saying it was an equal vote, resulting in him using his casting vote. Sibanda charged that this was not the case. He said the MDC constitution says all decisions of the National Council shall be by simple majority.

Tsvangirai told SW RADIO AFRICA that the party had made its decision and will not participate in the senatorial election. But Sibanda’s statement shows that this issue is far from over. The Vice president went further to say Tsvangirai is in breach of the party laws as he continues to issue statements that are in conflict with the decision made by the national council. These actions include;

• writing to party structures telling them to ignore a letter written by Deputy Secretary General Gift Chimanikire instructing provinces to prepare for the senate elections.
• Writing to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission misrepresenting the party by saying the MDC had resolved NOT to participate in the senate election and calling on the electoral body to register as independents anyone from the MDC.

Sibanda also claimed the president uttered threats against a number of officials who had opposed his views, that the MDC should boycott the senate election.

He said Tsvangirai had wilfully violated the constitution of the MDC and breached its provisions. He said, “The MDC was founded on principles which include democracy, freedom, transparency and justice and that the party is determined to uphold these principles and values. And will not allow one person or a group of persons to destroy them.”