Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Douglas Mwonzora has accused the judiciary of attempting to destabilise his party following its ‘vocal’ opposition to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s alleged bid for a third term.
Mwonzora
claimed a recent High Court judgment nullifying the MDC’s 2022 congress was a
calculated move to render the party leaderless and undermine its stance against
constitutional amendments that could extend President Mnangagwa’s rule beyond
2028.
His remarks
come amid growing political tensions in Zimbabwe, with opposition parties,
civil society organisations and war veterans expressing concern over the
proposed extension of presidential term limits.
Addressing a
press conference in Bulawayo on Sunday, Mwonzora asserted that his party has
been at the forefront of the fight against the “2030 agenda,” which seeks to
prolong Mnangagwa’s presidency.
“It was the MDC
which held a press conference in Harare in January this year to announce its
opposition to the machinations of Zanu PF in trying to give President Mnangagwa
a third term. We were then joined by other political parties, civil society
organisations, the church was very strong and war veterans who are very strong
on that point,” Mwonzora said.
“It was not the
war veterans who started the fight against the 2030, it was the MDC. We may be
saying it in different words and agendas may also be different but our agenda
as the MDC is that we are against the desecration of our constitution.”
The MDC leader
said the decision to nullify its 2022 congress by High Court judge, Justice
Hapias Zhou was politically motivated and highlighted his party’s role in
leading the fight against the “2030 agenda.”
“Strangely,
after making our opposition to the third term very clear, we were hit by a
judgement by Justice Zhou that nullified our 2022 congress. I think it was an
attempt to make the MDC leaderless or to get into camps,” he said.
The High Court
judgment cited two main reasons for nullifying the con, which were MDC provided
24 days’ notice instead of the required 30 days and that the women’s congress
was not concluded.
Mwonzora
dismissed these grounds as minor technicalities, pointing out the MDC has
historically deferred certain aspects of its congresses without invalidating
the entire process.
“At the very
inaugural congress, the youth were unable to do a proper election, and we had
to defer the congress to another day. Similarly, there was a fight for the
women’s assembly seat between Lucia Matibenga and Theresa Makoni, and the
congress had to be deferred and done at a later stage. We saw no basis for this
judgment,” he said.
Mwonzora added
the MDC has appealed the decision at the Supreme Court, which has the effect of
suspending the judgment.
“Even if we had not appealed, this judgment
does not affect anything. In fact, it restores the leadership as elected at the
extraordinary congress, and I remain the leader. Whoever did the math did not
calculate well because they left me in charge again,” he stated.
Mwonzora
suggested the timing of the judgment raised suspicions of state interference,
noting the case was lodged in 2022 but remained dormant until 2025, coinciding
with the MDC’s public opposition to Mnangagwa’s third-term bid.
“We can’t say
for sure, but a series of coincidences point to the hand of the state. This
judgment is very unsound and illogical. The court case was lodged in 2022,
nothing was done in 2023 and in 2024, coincidentally when we raised the issue
of our opposition to the third term. There is a direct coincidence that is
strange and leads us to conclude that there is a third hand,” said the MDC
leader.
He also argued
the judgment was designed to destabilise the MDC but expressed confidence that
it had failed to achieve its intended purpose.
“We are happy
that it has not destabilised us,” Mwonzora said and sought to clarify
misconceptions about the implications of the judgment.
He debunked
claims that it reinstated individuals who had been fired from the MDC or
restored Engineer Elias Mudzuri as vice president.
“The judgment
does not reinstate people who were fired from the MDC. It also does not restore
Mudzuri as vice president. In fact, the judgment says the national council
cannot sit as a continuation of congress. Mudzuri was elected vice president
after the extraordinary congress by the national council,” Mwonzora explained.
He revealed the
MDC has made efforts to engage Mudzuri and his group, appointing a team led by
Gift Chimanikire to initiate dialogue.
“We are waiting
for them. The MDC is willing to engage with other political forces. Our door is
open, but we must be bound by certain values – freedom, justice, equality, and
solidarity. These are the social democratic values that must bind us,” Mwonzora
said.
Mwonzora
reiterated the MDC’s strong opposition to any attempts to extend Mnangagwa’s
presidency beyond the constitutional limit of two terms.
“Our
constitution is very clear that a person will run the affairs of the country
for a maximum of 10 years, after which they must go home. On that point, we put
the government on notice and the people of Zimbabwe on notice that, as the MDC,
we are going to vote no in a referendum,” Mwonzora declared. CITE
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