News / National
Chamisa in catch 22 situation
14 May 2019 at 11:49hrs | Views
MDC Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora has spilled the beans on how the defiant Nelson Chamisa and his cabal's ignorance of the legal opinion document on the late Morgan Tsvangirai's succession issue, has thrown the opposition party into disarray.
The High Court ruling which nullified Chamisa's MDC presidency has opened a can of worms, with Mwonzora pouring his heart out on how the legal opinion he coined and backed by opposition elder, Advocate Eric Matinenga on the late Tsvangirai succession matrix could have saved the chaos prevailing in the opposition politics.
"I am the one who drafted the legal opinion document which was backed by Advocate Matinenga to follow the MDC democratic principles and the constitution, but that was brushed aside. In fact, I am the writer of the said legal advice, it was there to give legal opinion on how best to handle the succession issue of Dr Tsvangirai in line with the constitution, but look now, we are now dealing with a different scenario," said Mwonzora.
Asked on the way forward after the High Court nullified Chamisa's presidency and ordered for an extra-ordinary congress within a month, Mwonzora said it is a catch 22 situation as the opposition's National Standing Committee resolved to go ahead with the already scheduled congress set for later this month, while Chamisa has reportedly roped in lawyers to fight in his corner.
"I am informed that the National Standing Committee has resolved to go ahead despite the High Court ruling, and I am also reading here in the press that lawyers have been engaged to assist on legality and contest the ruling. I advocate for a united MDC which respects the guiding democratic principles of opposition politics laid by the late Dr Tsvangirai," added Mwonzora.
The Morgan Tsvangirai Legacy chipped in and lambasted Chamisa for disrespecting the country's laws, saying MDC supporters should be united under the High Court ruling which allows all members elected by the 2014 congress to finish their terms due in October.
"To go for an extra-ordinary congress rather than being fooled to break the party's democratic principles and the country's constitution for Chamisa and his cabal's political gains is the way to go. Imagine if Chamisa is allowed to continue breaking the law, what more if he becomes president? This country will be ungovernable. We have several members whose terms end in October, so it is better they must finish their terms than let Chamisa cut everything willy-nilly, it's undemocratic," noted Warship Dumba, a Morgan Tsvangirai Legacy member.
Observers say the revelations by Mwonzora and the Morgan Tsvangirai Legacy expose the discord in the MDC cockpit and only time will tell if Advocate Thabani Mpofu and his team will provide a safe landing for the embattled Chamisa.
The High Court ruling which nullified Chamisa's MDC presidency has opened a can of worms, with Mwonzora pouring his heart out on how the legal opinion he coined and backed by opposition elder, Advocate Eric Matinenga on the late Tsvangirai succession matrix could have saved the chaos prevailing in the opposition politics.
"I am the one who drafted the legal opinion document which was backed by Advocate Matinenga to follow the MDC democratic principles and the constitution, but that was brushed aside. In fact, I am the writer of the said legal advice, it was there to give legal opinion on how best to handle the succession issue of Dr Tsvangirai in line with the constitution, but look now, we are now dealing with a different scenario," said Mwonzora.
Asked on the way forward after the High Court nullified Chamisa's presidency and ordered for an extra-ordinary congress within a month, Mwonzora said it is a catch 22 situation as the opposition's National Standing Committee resolved to go ahead with the already scheduled congress set for later this month, while Chamisa has reportedly roped in lawyers to fight in his corner.
"I am informed that the National Standing Committee has resolved to go ahead despite the High Court ruling, and I am also reading here in the press that lawyers have been engaged to assist on legality and contest the ruling. I advocate for a united MDC which respects the guiding democratic principles of opposition politics laid by the late Dr Tsvangirai," added Mwonzora.
The Morgan Tsvangirai Legacy chipped in and lambasted Chamisa for disrespecting the country's laws, saying MDC supporters should be united under the High Court ruling which allows all members elected by the 2014 congress to finish their terms due in October.
"To go for an extra-ordinary congress rather than being fooled to break the party's democratic principles and the country's constitution for Chamisa and his cabal's political gains is the way to go. Imagine if Chamisa is allowed to continue breaking the law, what more if he becomes president? This country will be ungovernable. We have several members whose terms end in October, so it is better they must finish their terms than let Chamisa cut everything willy-nilly, it's undemocratic," noted Warship Dumba, a Morgan Tsvangirai Legacy member.
Observers say the revelations by Mwonzora and the Morgan Tsvangirai Legacy expose the discord in the MDC cockpit and only time will tell if Advocate Thabani Mpofu and his team will provide a safe landing for the embattled Chamisa.
Source - zbc
