THE just-ended MDC congress has passed a
potentially-explosive resolution that empowers its leader Nelson Chamisa to
push for the ouster of President Emmerson Mnangagwa before his five-year term
expires.
The congress that saw the former MDC secretary-generals
Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti, who led two separate splits from the late
president Morgan Tsvangirai making a comeback after clinching crucial wins to
become vice-presidents, wants Chamisa’s leadership to pursue all constitutional
means, including demonstrations or talks that would result in the removal of
the current government from power.
Newly-elected party chairperson Tabitha Khumalo read the
resolutions on behalf of the party after also clinching victory to retain her
seat in elections that relegated party heavyweights, who include
secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora and vice-president Morgen Komichi to
ordinary card-carrying members.
Charlton Hwende took over from Mwonzora, while Lynette
Karenyi-Kore was elected the party’s vice-president in tightly contested polls
that also saw the return of David Coltart as the new treasurer-general, beating
former Economic Planning minister Tapiwa Mashakada.
Former MDC99 leader Job Sikhala also completed a comeback,
after securing the deputy national chairperson position in polls that also saw
outgoing youth leader Happymore Chidziva relegated to an ordinary party member.
Part of the resolutions read: “Congress takes note of the
multiple crises affecting and arresting Zimbabwe which includes crisis of
legitimacy, of governance, of lack of confidence, economy disequilibrium, and
breakdown of the rule of law, corruption and massive closure of political
space.”
The resolutions added: “Congress, therefore, resolves that
the party must urgently implement measures to address and resolve the national
crises. Which measures include the following: Defending and protecting the
people of Zimbabwe and the Constitution through proactive informed processes of
engagement that include advocacy and mobilisation, including the exercise of
the people’s constitutional right to petition and protest as protected by
section 59 of the Constitution.”
Chamisa and the MDC have consistently and insistently
accused the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of stealing the July 2018
presidential electoral results in favour of Mnangagwa.
Although Chamisa’s Constitutional Court bid to overturn the
result failed, the party maintains Mnangagwa is illegitimate.
“In order to resolve the national crisis, congress mandated
the party to engage in a national dialogue to reach a political settlement
through a transitional mechanism. Any such dialogue must be credible and
bankable, anchored on five key pillars which are: Return to legitimacy and
normalcy, a comprehensive reform agenda, nation building and peace building, an
end to international isolation, resolving the economic and humanitarian
situation,” further read the resolutions.
In an attempt to deal with legitimacy issues also swirling
around the leadership of Chamisa, the MDC congress endorsed all decisions made
by Tsvangirai in appointing Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as party vice-presidents
as well as endorsed the national council resolution that catapulted Chamisa
into power.
In an effort to deal with internal rifts, the MDC congress
barred any of its members from taking the party to court before exhausting
internal remedies provided for by the party.
They also formally accepted the expulsion of former deputy
president Thokozani Khupe, former spokesperson Obert Gutu and former organising
secretary Abedinico Bhebe, who refused to join Chamisa and went on to dismally
lose last year’s election as MDC-T.
Chamisa emerged from the congress with some form of
legitimacy although a cloud still hovers over his head as he waits for a
Supreme Court appeal against Justice Edith Mushore’s judgment which ruled that
he lacked the legitimacy to preside over a congress. In his acceptance speech,
Chamisa thanked party supporters for voting peacefully and shunning violence.
“You made a speech, you made a speech since Friday, your
speech was through your hardwork, resolute attention to discipline, peaceful
election and a democratic osmosis of ideas and the love that you have
demonstrated for our country,” Chamisa said.
The former Information Communication Technology minister
said the MDC was growing under the mark and vision of Tsvangirai, who groomed
leaders in the party now taking them on a new trajectory.
Chamisa said he would be deploying top members of his
executive onto the African continent on a diplomatic charm offensive to sell
the party and its transformational agenda.
“I was talking to people, saying this team of leaders is
the best. With the likes of Biti and Professor Ncube, we have the best team,”
he said.
There were pockets of dissent as other losing candidates
alleged rigging, especially ballot-stuffing and manipulation of the voters’
roll.
Zanu PF, meanwhile, has warmed Chamisa against plans to
unleash demonstrations in a bid to force government to act, saying such a move
would be resisted.
Addressing a Press conference at party headquarters, Zanu
PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo said Chamisa should not attempt to demonstrate
as this would cause bloodshed.
“The declaration by Chamisa that ‘as soon as the
MDC-Alliance congress ends, it will be war’, naturally exhibits the party’s
retrogressive nature. This is the height of misguided conduct,” Khaya-Moyo said.
The MDC announced that it would soon roll out
demonstrations to force Mnangagwa to act on the economy which has been
collapsing as well as end corruption, among other ills.
The party said the protest would be peaceful, but Khaya
Moyo said violence was bound to erupt.
“In that regard, the Zanu PF party will never stand akimbo
while merchants of violence epitomised by Chamisa continue on their violent
trail of destruction, which not-so-long ago, resulted in the death of people
and destruction of property in the country,” Khaya-Moyo said. Newsday
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