2005-11-02,+MDC+crisis+deepens,+Muleya,+Business+Day

Business Day, Johannesburg, 01 November 2005 = MDC crisis deepens as power struggle rages on = Dumisani Muleya, Harare Correspondent

ZIMBABWE’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change’s (MDC’s) top six leaders yesterday failed to resolve the ongoing infighting over the senate election later this month.

The move left the party’s rival factions poles apart and once again raised the prospect of a breakup of the party after they appeared to have established common ground for negotiations last week.

MDC leaders met last week and agreed to uphold the party’s founding principles; cease acrimonious comments; stop violence and intimidation against each and refer the resolution of the crisis to the party’s national executive council.

That appeared as if they would make progress during yesterday’s meeting, chaired by Prof Brian Raftopoulos.

The MDC power struggle was triggered by the senate election scheduled for November 26.

The party’s council recently voted 33 to 31 to contest the election, but leader Morgan Tsvangirai overruled it, claiming contesting elections under hostile conditions breeds illegitimate outcomes.

A group led by MDC secretary-general Welshman Ncube confronted Tsvangirai, sparking the internal strife.

After the meeting, MDC leaders appeared further divided and worlds apart.

President Thabo Mbeki’s efforts to mediate two weeks ago failed after Tsvangirai refused to attend a meeting in Pretoria.

Tsvangirai said yesterday that he would address a council meeting on Saturday where he would present a report on the “state of the party, current preparations for congress and the way forward”.

“The president shall give council an overview of the campaign for a new constitution, which the party has adopted in concert with the MDC’s civil society partners,” Tsvangirai’s spokesman, William Bango, said.

“The president’s position on the senate election remains unchanged. He maintains the MDC must stay out of the poll.”

However, Ncube’s faction said the MDC leaders “agreed to disagree” yesterday.

“Tsvangirai refused to agree that he is bound by the MDC constitution,” said deputy secretary-general Gift Chimanikire, a member of the Ncube camp.

“He refused to respect the founding values of the party. By refusing to accept the council’s resolution on participation in the senate election, the president violated the party constitution and placed himself above, not just council, the constitution as well.”

Chimanikire said the MDC constitution and powers of party organs had been “usurped by Tsvangirai’s kitchen cabinet”, which comprised a “group of unelected, self-seeking individuals who have systematically sought to replace or displace elected officials”.

He also accused Tsvangirai’s faction of perpetrating “violence and intimidation” in the party.

In defiance of Tsvangirai’s position, Ncube’s camp’s position on the senate election remains unchanged, further pushing the party towards a split.


 * From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/world.aspx?ID=BD4A107846**