By Irene Madongo
22 August 2010
Reports that Prime Minister Morgan Tvsangirai now has to consult the party over important decisions, is a strong indication that he needs to rely more on formal structures within the party than his informal advisors, an analyst has said.
On Sunday the Zimbabwe Standard reported that Tsvangirai can no longer make senior appointments in his party and government without consulting the MDC-T National Standing Committee (NSC), as part of measures to stem growing factionalism. The paper said there have been accusations that the Prime Minister’s so-called informal advisors or “kitchen cabinet”, which it claims include Ian Makone and Jameson Timba, recently advised him on his controversial reshuffle in June, which saw the appointment of Makone’s wife Theresa as Co-Home Affairs Minister, replacing Giles Mutsekwa.
Analyst Chofamba Sithole said: “There have been concerns about the so-called ‘kitchen’ cabinet, and this has been the structure composed of people loyal and close to the president of the party. This structure is informal and subverts the standing formal decision making process within the MDC and senior members have expressed disquiet about Tsvangirai’s reliance on the kitchen cabinet to make decisions that are binding on the MDC.”
But the MDC-T dismissed reports of the existence of this ‘kitchen cabinet,’ or that Tsvangirai had been ignoring the committee over meetings. MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa said that after consultation with his advisors, Tsvanigrai takes decisions to the national executive committee for approval. He claims this has been the structure all along.
Chamisa added: “All decisions are made by our leadership. They go to the executive for endorsement.”
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