Zimbabwe opposition reaches crossroads as pro-senate MDC faction prepares for congress

By Violet Gonda

24 February 2006

All roads are leading to Bulawayo this weekend as those who support the MDC pro-senate faction gather for their national congress. The group’s spokesman Paul Temba Nyathi said Friday saw delegates arriving from all 12 provinces for the accreditation process. Several diplomats, churches, labour and civic groups including the main body of students ZINASU and the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) represented by Dr Lovemore Madhuku are reported to have made the journey as well.

Nyathi said, “We have in the past few weeks been surprised by the turnaround in the thinking of some of these groups. We have certainly received recognition from a number of civic groups. Others have said they don’t particularly support us but would like to be present to show solidarity.”

As the first of two separate congresses planned, this one may finally seal the split in the MDC.

Nominations for the candidates are expected to be announced late Friday but it’s widely expected that former student leader and robotics scientist Professor Arthur Mutambara is going to be elected President when elections are held on Sunday.

Other names tipped for top leadership positions are;

Gibson Sibanda Vice President, Gift Chimanikire chairman, Professor Welshman Ncube Secretary General and Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga Deputy Secretary General.

Critics have said this particular group seems to be more intellectual than practical and have no rural appeal. But Nyathi said, “What is important is that there is no single leader in this group that doesn’t hail from a working class and rural background. I believe they are representative of the mosaic that pins together Zimbabwean society.”

The opposition party, which was widely seen as the only serious challenge to Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF, split into two factions when party President Morgan Tsvangirai defied a National Council vote on October 12th on whether to participate in the senate elections.

Tsvangirai felt the senate did not represent the desires of the party’s grassroots and was a waste of much needed money while his colleagues felt that as a political party they needed to participate in the political process and did not want to lose ground to ZANU PF. Tsvangirai was accused of being a dictator, which subsequently led to the group seeking a High Court application to suspend him. The application was thrown out by the courts.

As the pro-senate camp was preparing for its congress, Morgan Tsvangirai’s lawyers Dube, Manikai and Hwacha were releasing a statement which said among other things that the congress was taking place in breach of the party’s constitution, and in defiance of the logic and principle of the High Court judgment.

“Your clients have repeatedly published, yet falsely, that our client Mr M. Tsvangirai is suspended or dismissed from the party. In defiance of the judgment, your clients have also purportedly organised meetings in the name of the M.D.C. Your clients have now also published adverts calling for “An MDC Congress” to be held in Bulawayo on the 25th and 26th February 2006.”

The statement went further to say the conduct of the leaders was not authorised by the National Council and is therefore unconstitutional. “The court made it clear that Mr G. Chimanikire and any others could not act in the name of the MDC without lawful authority. Such authority rests in the National Council. The High Court did find that the National Council which confirmed the unlawfulness of Mr Tsvangirai’s suspension was lawfully constituted.”

Paul Temba Nyathi rejected this statement saying plans for the Bulawayo congress were properly constituted and they will go ahead with the preparations. He said, “Our legal team says our congress is constitutional and if this group is aggrieved they can avail themselves to any legal process. The time has come for us to move on … we hope after this congress we will be talking about how to get rid of Robert Mugabe.”

The two day congress will be held at the Amphitheatre at the park in Bulawayo.