MDC Disciplinary Committee not impartial says one member

Violet Gonda
28 November 2005

The composition of the MDC disciplinary committee, which sat this weekend and decided to suspend the opposition leader has been criticised by its own member. Lawyer Yvonne Mahlunge who sa t on this committee before going on study leave in the UK said 4 of the members on the committee have a declared interest.

Constituted in terms of the MDC constitution the disciplinary committee which is chaired by Vice President Gibson Sibanda is made up of lawyer Josphat Tshuma, Advocate Edith Mushore, Member of the National Council Enna Chitsa, MDC Chief Whip in parliament Innocent Gonese, National Executive Member Yvonne Mahlunge and National Executive Membewr Dr Mudzingwa.

Deputy Secretary General Gift Chimanikire was allegedly not nominated by the National Council although he sat in the disciplinary hearing of former Highfields MP Munyaradzi Gwisai, over two years ago.

Yvonne Mahlunge said an independent entity should intervene, “Having declared their interests, Mr Innocent Gonese, Mr Gibson Sibanda and Mr Chimanikire should not form part of the disciplinary hearing. Nor for that matter Mr Mudzingwa because he has declared his interests on behalf of the president. To be fair on both sides it is highly that any of those members are not going to have personal positions or are not going to be in one of the 2 factions.”

Mahlunge said in her opinion an independent body, completely outside the process of campaigning and de-campaigning the senate elections should intervene. “People should probably not be members of the MDC and must be chosen by the party’s highest decision making body, the National Council.”