MDC To Hold Elective Congress In June
MDC Alliance deputy president Elias Mudzuri and party chairperson Morgen Komichi are reportedly set to challenge party leader Douglas Mwonzora for the presidency at an elective congress set for June this year.
Mwonzora is facing rebellion from some MDC Alliance officials who blame him for the party’s poor performance in the 26 March by-elections.
The MDC Alliance failed to win a single seat despite grabbing the MDC-A name from its former leader Nelson Chamisa who is now the leader of CCC.
In a statement on Tuesday, 3 May, Mwonzora announced that the MDC will hold its ordinary congress at the end of June. Said Mwonzora:
The MDC will hold its ordinary congress at the end of June 2022. At this congress, the top leadership of the party will be democratically elected through a secret ballot in terms of the party constitution by delegates from wards, districts and provinces.
The ordinary congress will also deal with any proposed amendments to the party constitution as well as key policy issues to guide the party in the execution of its mandate which is to bring democratic change in Zimbabwe.
MDC Alliance insiders told NewsDay yesterday that both Mudzuri and Komichi believe they can revive the waning fortunes of the once formidable opposition party. Said a source:
Mudzuri believes he can revive the party after it was humiliated during the March by-elections.
He boasts that he was the only organising secretary in the history of the MDC to win a majority in Parliament and the presidency in 2008.
On the other hand, Komichi believes that he is the custodian of Morgan Tsvangirai’s legacy.
When contacted for his comment, Mudzuri could neither confirm nor deny that he was going to contest for the MDC presidency at the congress. He said:
When the time is ripe, I will make my decision known. I will not be led by people to rush my announcement.
I will tell the whole world what I will have decided, I am not a dead man.
Meanwhile, Komichi recently criticised Mwonzora for unilaterally suspending senior party members who had questioned his leadership credentials.
