CHAMISA TO DECIMATE party structures

CHAMISA TO DECIMATE party structures 
MDC Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa’s decision to hold an ordinary congress instead of extraordinary one is meant to decimate party structures that voted against him five years ago when he lost the post of secretary general to Mr Douglas Mwonzora, The Herald has learnt.

There is an uproar from various party structures angered by Mr Chamisa’s decision to railroad the party and hold an ordinary congress in May this year. There is fear the decision would see party structures shaken and a new electoral college constituted. The party’s national council held its meeting last week and resolved to hold an ordinary congress on May 24 this year.

Expectations were for an extraordinary congress that would have restricted the election to the presidency. Mr Chamisa took over the MDC-T leadership without being subjected to elections following the death of Mr Morgan Tsvangirai last year. Sources in the MDC Alliance said Mr Chamisa was suspicious of the current structures and had to ensure that the national council resolve to hold election for all party organs.

“We were taken by surprise. We thought only elections to select the president would be held and that obviously would be done by current party structures. Mr Chamisa is obviously not comfortable with the current structures and had to direct that elections be held in respect of all organs and that would ensure that new people would constitute the structures,” said one national executive member.

Another national council member said: “What Chamisa is simply doing is equivalent to dissolving all structures and replace them with new ones whose loyalty would be to him.”

When contacted, MDC Alliance spokesperson, Mr Jacob Mafume denied that the abandonment of extraordinary congress was meant to prejudice other candidates.

“This is a congress year. It would not make sense constitutionally and logically to hold an extraordinary congress and in the same year hold an ordinary congress. What is required is to do the most democratic thing, which is a congress to elect a whole leadership of the party in a congress year. What we need to do thereafter is to have everything moving in tandem with the party’s constitution. An extraordinary congress would create a situation where you have a president and immediately thereafter you elect a new set of leaders, why not just elect them at the same time. What we are doing is very constitutional and democratic,” said Mr Mafume.

Mr Mwonzora is tipped to challenge Mr Chamisa for the presidency in an election reminiscent of the 2014 congress where the latter was trounced for the secretary general’s post.

Movement for Democratic Change is going for congress in May and the party officials have started campaigning for various positions within the party.
The list of the confirmed candidates according to party sources is as follows:

President
Chamisa
Mudzuri
Deputy x 3
Mwonzora
Biti
Thabitha khumalo
Welshman
Komichi
Mushoriwa
Chairman
Bekithemba
Dr Nku
Joana Mamombe
Prosper Mutseyami
Vice Chairman
Chibaya
Mafume
Tamborinyoka
Sikhala
Gift Banda
Hwende
Source Zvamaida Murwira :

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