MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora yesterday stunned
party supporters and his rivals when he announced that he won't be contesting
interim leader Nelson Chamisa at next month's congress.
Instead, Mwonzora said he would fight to remain in his
current post which is being eyed by MDC deputy treasurer general Chalton Hwende
who has so far been nominated for the post by at least four provinces.
Mwonzora said he had met and agreed with Chamisa that each
would continue in their position - a statement which was backed by him during a
tense meeting in Manicaland yesterday.
"I came here to say this on my own. I, Douglas
Mwonzora, who comes from here, have agreed … that at the congress the president
will be Chamisa.
"We also agreed that I will try to get the position of
secretary-general of the party.
"President Chamisa will complete what he started and I
also want to finish what I started in my position," Mwonzora said to wild
cheers.
The MDC will hold its keenly-watched congress from May 24
to 26 in Gweru, where a new party leadership will be chosen - including the
substantive successor to its late and much revered late president, Morgan
Tsvangirai - who died on Valentine's Day last year after losing his brave
battle against cancer of the colon.
Chamisa, who narrowly lost to President Emmerson Mnangagwa
in last year's hotly-disputed elections, was expected to face competition from
Mwonzora at the congress, despite his slow start in the ongoing nomination
process by party structures.
The charismatic youthful opposition leader had by yesterday
bagged six nominations from six provinces with Mwonzora failing to get one.
Still to make their
nominations are South Africa, the United Kingdom, Manicaland, Masvingo, Harare
and Bulawayo.
Yesterday, Chamisa told the Daily News in an exclusive
interview that Mwonzora's change of heart showed maturity on the part of his
respected secretary-general. At the end of
the day we are not at war. We are a very mature democracy and we look at what
is good for the party.
"We know we have our own issues that we need to deal
with. You can see the mood of the people. It's very clear
this is what the people want. They want to see us focused and having a
successful congress," Chamisa said.
However, Chamisa has been accused of manipulating party
structures to elbow out supporters of his rivals - allegations which he has
strongly denied.
The MDC congress is facing challenges as two groups of
disgruntled members, have in separate applications, petitioned the High Court
to stop next month gathering which they argue violates the party's
constitution.
One group of disaffected party supporters is determined to
stop next month's congress and to also have Chamisa stripped of his current
leadership powers, as it says the planned gathering violates the MDC
constitution.
In their court application, the disgruntled members who
first filed a challenge want Chamisa to relinquish his current position as
interim MDC boss, and to revert to his former position where he was one of the
party's three vice presidents.
They are arguing that in terms of the MDC's constitution,
an extraordinary congress should have been held a year after the death of
Tsvangirai - instead of next month - to elect a new party leader.
Another group filed a separate High Court application at
the weekend, also seeking to stop the congress which has divided the country's
largest opposition party. Daily News
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