MDC Renewal Set To Adopt New Name, (People’s Democratic Party)-Jacob Mafume

MDC Renewal Team say they are set to adopt a new name (People’s Democratic Party) with a view to giving the electorate “confidence” ahead of the 2018 national election.

“We need a new narrative that gives people of Zimbabwe hope and confidence and we need a sellable brand name and People’s Democratic Party is gaining traction and this is going to happen in August,” spokesperson Jacob Mafume told NewZimbabwe.com in an interview Thursday.

The Renewal Team fragmented from the MDC-T last year in April after accusing the leader of the movement, Morgan Tsvangirai of acting like President Robert Mugabe on leadership and succession issues.

The party further disintegrated last month after one of its founders Elton Mangoma quit to form his own outfit.

“We are also going to take the opportunity of the National Convention to launch our much awaited economic policy-a Holistic Program for Economic Transformation (HOPE) which is a real life changing economic policy as opposed to that of the clueless Zanu PF leadership’s ZIMASSET,” said Mafume.

He however dismissed reports that there was infighting within his party, saying their main enemy is Zanu PF.

Sources within the Renewal Team said there is discontent in the party following revelations that the interim leadership had banned internal elections.

NewZimbabwe.com reported this week that Samuel Sipepa Nkomo told members that the party preferred what they called “cadre deployment” as opposed to elections.

But sources warned that the party might further disintegrate as “many” are contemplating approaching the MDC-T and “kneel down” for forgiveness.

This week a member of the Renewal Team Settlement Chikwinya suggested to NewZimbabwe.com that was it not because of Mangoma’s selfish interests and betrayal they would not have left Tsvangirai. source-newzimbabwe

photo-Jacob Maafume