Zimbabwe: Mudzuri Tears Into ‘Illegitimate’ Mwonzora

A breakaway faction of opposition Movement of Democratic Change (MDC-T) has described the party national congress held in December last year as a non-event accusing party president Douglas Mwonzora of violating the party constitution.

Mwonzora was elected uncontested alongside the deputy president’s positions and other key party positions a process that did not go down well with section of senior party officials who felt had been frozen out.

Former party vice president Engineer Elias Mudzuri and six other senior members were last month suspended for questioning the legality of the congress.

Speaking to journalists in Harare, Mudzuri said Mwonzora failed to uphold the values and principles enshrined in the party constitution.

“In the recent past one Douglas Togaraseyi Mwonzora abused the party Constitution by implementing unconstitutional processes which culminated in the installation of the party leadership through an illegible group of people outside the national congress as mandated by the party constitution. This was a blatant attempt by Douglas Mwonzora to attempt to take over the party through an unconstitutional process.

“It is in this view that the membership of the MDC who believe that their party is membership and structure driven cannot remain bystanders in the process and now seek to redress the situation and make sure that the provisions stated in the party’s constitution are followed. The party constitution is very clear on how the party is organised, managed and how leadership positions are filled and more importantly the inalienable roles of part structures in such processes accordingly for Douglas Mwonzora to usurp the powers of the party, branches, wards, districts and provinces in the national congress agenda renders such an event null and void and hence of no force or effect,” said Mudzuri

He said the party did not follow procedure as outlined in the constitution by not involving grassroots levels up to the national level.

“It is a misnomer that the national council can exist without undergoing the processes, it is correct to say there is no national council without structures. The bogus members in the current national council is a clear indication that the party’s constitution was grossly violated. Whatever is going on, the MDC lacks leadership at the moment because the congress that came about has dissatisfied all our members because they did not participate and we are working with all members including those who are bogus in their positions to try to re constitute the lower structures to ensure that a proper congress is done,” he said

Mudzuri said the suspension of leaders from the person emerging from such an illegal congress that lasted for one and half hours is of no force or effect and hence rejected outright by most of the members.