MDC bigwigs vying for various positions in the party’s standing committee at the 24-26 May Congress launched their manifestos on Sunday.
Incumbent president Nelson Chamisa was nominated by all the party’s provinces unchallenged.
The post of vice president received one of the highest numbers of nominations with three vice presidents expected to be chosen. One of the slots has been reserved for a woman.
Tendai Biti, the former renegade secretary-general who is vying for the vice presidency, said:
The 2019 Congress of the MDC, the fifth congress, is going to be very important for the party. It is an opportunity for starting a new dialogue with the people of Zimbabwe.
It is an opportunity for the people of the MDC to show to the people of Zimbabwe that we are tired of being an opposition.
The party must focus on rural areas and in order to gain State power, we need to go to the village in Humanikwa, in Chiendambuya, in Dotito, so we need to change strategy.
Co-vice president, Morgan Komichi, who is fighting to retain his position said:
I have stayed with the party, and I have gained two names, General Mao and Abrahama. What does General Mao mean? It means the greatest strategist; Abrahama means a good leader. A good leader is a good follower.
Meanwhile, another co-vice president, Elias Mudzuri who at one point was mulling plans to challenge Chamisa, said:
I believe that I am a massive pillar of the party, which has never been shaken. The corner of the house does not get removed for no reason.
The third co-vice president, Welshman Ncube, claimed that he is a strategic thinker. Said Ncube:
I will do all I can, all in my power to render all assistance to president Chamisa. One of the tasks of the president, which has not been spoken to a lot, is the task of providing strategic direction; in short, the task of thinking, Mr president, I will think with you, if necessary to think until it hurts.
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More: Newsday