Tsvangirai to respond to crisis in 48 hours

By Tichaona Sibanda
25 October 2005

MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai is considering a number of options to deal with the worst crisis ever to rock the party in its six years of existence. This was said by his spokesman William Bango on Tuesday.

He added: ‘Yesterday’s (Mondays) events would require a very quick review of the way forward and the President is considering a number of options to deal with that.”

‘Within the next 48 hours, he should have decided on what course of action to take and what to communicate to the public. Right now he will say nothing, he thinks the matter is very sensitive he feels he may distort his plan to handle this matter politically.’

The crisis in the party came to an all time low on Monday when 27 individuals from the party submitted their papers to stand for senate elections under the MDC banner.

The senate elections have divided the party right down the middle, but the President has retained widespread popular support from party members, both inside the country and those in the diaspora.

Bango reiterated that Tsvangirai’s stance on the senate elections is very clear. He said party rules were flouted and there was no adherence to the traditional selection of candidates in the party.

‘The President’s stance on that hasn’t changed. There would be no senate elections for the MDC. Whoever submitted their papers yesterday did so as individuals and not party members,’ he said.

Asked if the President of the party was considering meeting his opponents in the top leadership, Bango said ‘anything is possible in politics’