Dispute over recent suspensions intensifies split within the opposition

By Tererai Karimakwenda

19 December 2005

Conflicting statements have again been offered by the two camps of the now divided opposition party, and this time it is over the recent suspensions of pro-senate leaders and officials. Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the party president Morgan Tsvangirai’s camp, told us a disciplinary committee had on Sunday suspended MDC deputy president Gibson Sibanda, secretary general Welshman Ncube, his deputy Gift Chimanikire, treasurer Fletcher Dulini Ncube and policy and research secretary Trudy Stevenson.

But Stevenson said the suspensions were not legal because the disciplinary committee was not properly constituted, and she had not even been notified of the hearing. Chamisa disputed this, claiming the suspended officials had in fact responded through their lawyer. He said they had requested more time hence pushing the hearing to this past weekend, but they had failed to show up. Stevenson said the 5-year period of office for the committee she knows to be legal had not expired, and its members were not present when the suspensions were decided on.

It seems neither side recognises the other’s disciplinary committee whenever it is convened, and each side accuses the other of not abiding by the constitution. Interpretation of the constitution has become the major point of contention for both sides. The pro-senate camp has held on to their original claim that Tsvangirai violated the party’s constitution when he suspended a decision by the National Council to participate in the senate elections last month. But Tsvangirai has insisted he acted to protect the membership, whose interests had been set aside by compromised officials motivated by greed and self-interest.

As for who is now in control of the party’s finances, bank books and assets. Stevenson said she was not well informed about that aspect of it, but she knew the Tsvangirai camp had seized some bankbooks and was also seizing vehicles and other property. She went further and accused them of planting thugs at the Harvest House headquarters in Harare to protect Morgan Tsvangirai. Chamisa said the pro-senate had committed crimes and had been caught with their pants down. He said party’s constitution is clear, and it also has remedies for those who had been suspended should they need some. Stevenson said their camp was going ahead with plans for the real people’s congress, and Chamisa said only the National chairman is invested with that power by the constitution. The MDC annual congress is scheduled for February, and it remains to be seen which camp pulls of the real people’s congress. If the dismally low turnout for the senate elections last month is anything to go by, the pro-senate camp may have something to worry about. But then again, that remains to be seen.