Mwonzora-led MDC-T Survive Expulsion From MDC Alliance
Opposition MDC Alliance principals have reversed their earlier decision to expel the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDCT to pave way for dialogue among political actors forming the grouping.
Convener of the Alliance, Mathis Guchutu, who is the leader of the Multiracial Christian Democrats party, on July 12, wrote to Mwonzora, informing him that the MDC-T had been expelled from the grouping.
Guchutu accused the MDC-T of failing to follow the guiding principles of the coalition and also of masquerading as its leader when he was not discussing issues of concern with other principals.
He also accused the MDC-T party of withholding the funds that were allocated to the MDC Alliance under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.
But in a letter dated July 31, Guchutu, on behalf of other principals, made a U-turn and said he would afford Mwonzora an opportunity to resolve the differences with disgruntled parties through dialogue. Guchutu wrote:
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This serves to notify you that we have decided to lift the expulsion with immediate effect.
This has been necessitated by the need to engage each other in dialogue and resolve our issues amicably.
Asked if the letter serves as confirmation that the MDC Alliance now recognised Mwonzora, Guchutu said:
I cannot comment on that, wait to see the demands we will make on the negotiating table.
Guchutu claimed that he was called by MDC-T top leadership after his first letter suspending the party, which intends to use the name MDC alliance in the forthcoming polls, from the grouping.
However, Mwonzora dismissed Guchutu’s letter, saying the latter has no right to write any letter. Said Mwonzora through his spokesperson Lloyd Damba:
It means nothing because in terms of Article 5(2)(1) of the MDC Alliance agreement, Guchutu is no longer a member of the alliance.
He (Guchutu) contested and lost and his boat was sunk by the elections, meaning he is no longer a member of the coalition principal’s forum. He was weeded away, pruned if we can say.
So the letter is a nullity since it was written by a person who no longer has the locus standi to perform such a duty. Also, it must be understood that there is no provision in the agreement that gives power to any alliance partner or partners to expel another member of the alliance.
The MDC Alliance was formed in 2017 against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF in the 2018 elections. It had seven parties – MDC-T, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF), Multiracial Christian Democrats (MCD), MDC, Zanu Ndonga and Transform Zimbabwe (TZ).
More: NewsDay
