Convener of the Alliance, Mathis Guchutu, who is leader of
the Multiracial Christian Democrats party, on July 12, wrote to Mwonzora,
informing him that the MDC-T had been expelled from the grouping.
Guchutu accused the MDC-T of failing to follow guiding
principles of the coalition and also of masquerading as its leader when he was
not discussing issues of concern with other principals.
He also accused the MDC-T party of withholding the funds
that were allocated to the MDC Alliance under the Political Parties (Finance)
Act.
But in a letter dated July 31, Guchutu, on behalf of other
principals, made a U-turn and said he would afford Mwonzora an opportunity to
resolve the differences with disgruntled parties through dialogue.
“This serves to notify you that we have decided to lift the
expulsion with immediate effect,” Guchutu wrote.
“This has been necessitated by the need to engage each other
in dialogue and resolve our issues amicably.”
Asked if the letter serves as confirmation that the MDC
Alliance now recognised Mwonzora, Guchutu said: “I cannot comment on that, wait
to see the demands we will make on the negotiating table.”
Guchutu claimed that he was called by MDC-T top leadership
after his first letter suspending the party, which intends to use the name MDC
alliance in the forthcoming polls, from the grouping.
However, Mwonzora dismissed Guchutu’s letter, saying: “It
means nothing because in terms of Article 5(2)(1) of the MDC Alliance
agreement, Guchutu is no longer a member of the alliance.
“He (Guchutu) contested and lost and his boat was sunk by
the elections, meaning he is no longer a member of the coalition principal’s
forum. He was weeded away, pruned if we can say. So the letter is a nullity
since it was written by a person who no longer has the locus standi to perform
such a duty. Also it must be understood that there is no provision in the
agreement that gives power to any alliance partner or partners to expel another
member of the alliance.”
“There are only three parties that are represented in
Parliament and these are People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which expelled Tendai
Biti and his followers from Parliament and MDC of Welshman Ncube and MDC-T now
led by Senator Douglas Mwonzora,” said Mwonzora through his spokesperson Lloyd
Damba.
“Unfortunately, Welshman Ncube dissolved his party soon
after elections and PDP no longer has any MPs due to the fact that they were
recalled by Lucia Matibenga. What it now means is that, there is only one party
represented in Parliament and that is the MDC-T, which is the legitimate owner
of the MDC Alliance name.”
But MDC Alliance insiders disputed Damba’s claims, stating
that the recall of Biti and five other MPs was still pending at the courts
following the High Court ruling that those who recalled them were not members
of the PDP.
“On what basis does MDC-T own a name jointly formulated by
seven parties? Where, in the agreement, does it say so? In addition, there are
MPs that are in Parliament whose allegiance is not with MDC-T, but with MDC
Alliance led by Chamisa,” an insider said Newsday
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