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The split of MDC-T is effectively complete after farcical events at the weekend — an anti-Morgan Tsvangirai faction announcing his suspension and his loyalists declaring he was still in charge. Secretary of the party’s guardian council, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo announced in Harare on Saturday that 136 members of the MDC-T national council voted to suspend party leader, Tsvangirai while two voted against the action. Others suspended at the Mandel Training Centre national council meeting are Thokozani Khupe (deputy president), Lovemore Moyo (national chairman), Morgen Komichi (deputy national chairman), Nelson Chamisa (organising secretary), Abednico Bhebhe (deputy organising secretary) and Douglas Mwonzora (information secretary).
Nkomo, who assumed the post of acting national chairman at the weekend, replacing Moyo, accused Tsvangirai of disregarding the party constitution, use of violence to suppress opponents and dictatorship. Secretary-general, Tendai Biti, the power behind Nkomo and company also attacked Tsvangirai of financial impropriety and poor judgment.
On Sunday, Mwonzora responded. He declared MDC Team’s Mandel meeting unconstitutional and was scathing in his attack on Biti. In a show of public support, dozens of Tsvangirai’s supporters massed at the party’s Harare offices asserting their support for him and that he remained in charge. Each of the groupings is quoting the party constitution to defend their positions and declaring only their positions as valid and others’ invalid.
The weekend drama came a few weeks after Tsvangirai had suspended four officials who campaigned for his ouster, Elton Mangoma, Last Maengahama, Promise Mkwananzi and Jacob Mafume. The quartet enjoy the support of the conveners of the Mandel Training Centre meeting.
We are, therefore, not overstating the situation when we say that indeed the MDC-T has split. There are now two separate command structures, both claiming to be in office. So the view that a split is imminent or looming has actually been overtaken by events.
Biti knew that after his lieutenants were systematically removed from their posts countrywide and replaced by pro-Tsvangirai elements, his time was also up. Thus, in a clever way to pre-empt his own suspension, he announced the ouster of Tsvangirai himself. We don’t think Tsvangirai saw this coming.
With the split now complete, the fight in the next few weeks should unfold on multiple fronts — in Parliament, in court, among the grassroots and at the international stage where MDCs get their money, advice and moral support. In Parliament Tsvangirai would be out to exact revenge on Biti, and fellow MPs Paul Madzore, Solomon Madzore, Moses Manyengavana, Willius Madzimure, Nkomo, Bekithemba Nyathi, Evelyn Masaiti and Washy Sibanda who were at Mandel. But Biti himself, as secretary general, the chief executive officer of the party whose signature is recognised in all official communication, is likely to write to the House spelling out the suspensions of MPs he sees as too vocal in supporting Tsvangirai. He should get it fine abroad as his group controls the finances and is backed by the all-powerful white element in the party. The grassroots should be tricky though, but not so tricky for Tsvangirai.
But we sense extreme desperation in MDC-T when Mwonzora continues to make a fool of himself and those he speaks for when he sees Zanu-PF’s shadow in what is patently an in-house problem.
“All that happened yesterday (Saturday) is a culmination of an elaborate, covet project involving state security, Zanu-PF, (President) Mugabe, Welshman Ncube and the few malcontents in the MDC to destabilise the MDC and to de-brand the party,” Mwonzora said.
Zanu-PF has been forced to respond to the allegation, but we feel it is delusional for Mwonzora to always think that whenever there is a dissenting voice in the formation, Zanu-PF is responsible.
It is their problem, but we have to point out that it is useful for them to attend to their real challenges — Tsvangirai’s his poor judgment, his kitchen cabinet, his violence and refusal to leave office voluntarily — rather than chasing non-existent plotters.
With the weekend split, which has been in the making since July, Tsvangirai learnt nothing and forgot nothing from the original MDC break-up of 2005. Essentially, the causes of the weekend drama were raised nine years ago when former secretary general, Professor Welshman Ncube ironically announced a suspension of Tsvangirai after the former trade unionist had refused to respect the result of an internal election. They include Tsvangirai’s use of violence to crush opposition within his party, his headstrong leadership style, poor judgment, reliance on a kitchen cabinet of loyalists and dictatorial tendencies.
His ardent refusal or failure to diligently attend to these genuine concerns from those he must listen to will ultimately cause his downfall and that of his party.
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo