Welshman Ncube hold crucial party meetings

MOVEMENT for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Welshman Ncube has finally come out of his shell following his party's energy-sapping defeat in last year's general polls by holding crucial party meetings, signalling his re-entry into the political fray.

Ncube slid into a deep political slumber following his defeat that saw him failing to garner a single seat even in the three Matabeleland provinces where he had been expected to appeal to some voters based on his election campaign message that revolved around devolution of power.

Unlike, the MDC-T which filed election petitions in the courts in an attempt to reverse Zanu-PF's victory, Ncube and his team did not lodge any formal challenge to the poll outcome, even though they maintained that the polls were rigged, a charge rejected by President Robert Mugabe's party. With the MDC-T in disarray over the fight for leadership, Ncube's hibernation did not help matters as there has been no effective oversight on government activities by opposition parties, amid the country's worsening economic situation.

Over the weekend, the MDC leader emerged from the deep slumber to hold meetings with two organs of his party - the organising and the information and publicity committees. Another meeting of the party's Standing Committee is scheduled for March to approve plans for the next general elections set for 2018.

MDC spokesperson, Kurauone Chihwayi, told the Financial Gazette this week that the party's organising and information committees mapped strategic plans to be presented to the Standing Committee for approval in preparation for next elections.

"After the July 2013 stolen elections we did not retreat or surrender but chose to go back to the drawing board to study, reflect and reorganise ourselves. It was not important for us to make unnecessary noises everyday and from everywhere or to behave like fumigated cockroaches," said Chihwayi.

"We spent the last six months reading the game and considering various options. We are a party that takes instructions from the people. We are a peaceful and disciplined political party with a tolerant and serious leader in professor Welshman Ncube." Soon after the meetings, Ncube took to facebook and posted the following message: "Strategic silence is often mistaken for hibernation."