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Internal squabbles characterised by violence against senior officials are fomenting a split in the opposition MDC-T, the party’s guardian council has said. Council members Sekai Holland, Dr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, James Makore and Cephas Makuyana disclosed this in a report dated February 5, this year.The council is mandated with offering guidance to the party. “The seemingly over reliance on emotions by national standing committee members when dealing with critical national issues is damaging the party image.
“They have not been honest with one another in the execution of their duties and with all party structures, leading to the current stalemate, where the national standing committee is taking the party on the path to destruction synonymous with the events leading to the October 12, 2005 split,” reads part of the report.
The report — which some senior MDC-T officials say party leader Morgan Tsvangirai was trying to block from being presented to the national standing committee and the national council – contains several issues deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma has been raising.
Exactly 10 days after the report was prepared, Mangoma, youth leader Promise Mkhwananzi and secretary-general Tendai Biti were attacked at Harvest House, the party’s headquarters in Harare.
MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora yesterday disowned the report, saying it was yet to be presented to the party.
“We have not received any document from the guardian council, either as standing committee, or the national council. The guardian council presents its document to us first. What we know is the national council is still carrying out consultation about the issues affecting the party. We do not know the authenticity of the document you have,” he said.
Given that Tsvangirai was losing support in grassroots structures, the council recommended that all engagement with lower echelons of the party be immediately stopped for now.
“The visits and engagements with the structures be ceased forthwith until a decision has been made on these proposals to avoid discord during the delicate period. It is clear at this juncture, further engagement with structures will continue to polarise and perpetuate entrenched positions and divisions.”
Tsvangirai wanted a congress in 2016 as scheduled, but the council recommended that the elective meeting be held next year.
“All members of the national standing committee agreed that they did not believe that it was appropriate and prudent to follow the current schedule 2016 timetable for the next congress as the 2018 harmonised elections would be too close.
“Their view was that the constitutionally scheduled 2016 timetable would not grant sufficient time for campaigning and organising to win the 2018 elections,” the guardian council said.
To that effect, it was noted; “That the party holds an extraordinary congress where only the national standing leadership (national standing committee and national executive committee members) is included. That the early congress be held by 2015, constituting a party renewal process where positions will be contested, beginning with the branches to the national level, in terms of the party’s constitution.”
The guardian council said MDC-T had lost its grip of local, regional and international politics since its heavy loss to Zanu-PF on July 31, 2013.
derick.khumalo