Welshman Ncube: MDC-M or MDC-N President in waiting

MDC-M Secretary General Welshman Ncube and his supporters are preparing to celebrate an expected victory for leadership of the party, amid reports he will stand unchallenged for the party presidency on Saturday. Question to be asked is whether the party will change from MDC-M (Mutambara) to MDC-N (Ncube).

As delegates begin arriving for the two day congress that starts in Harare at the city sports centre, the Ncube camp has already lined up a number of parties and ordered huge stocks of beer for planned victory celebrations.

MDC-M spokesman Edwin Mushoriwa said barring any last minute mishap, the former University of Zimbabwe Law lecturer will be declared winner on Saturday after garnering eleven nominations from twelve of their party provinces.

"Masvingo is the only province yet to send in their nominations but I've been informed they will do so tomorrow (Friday). So far, there are no challengers in this race to win the leadership of the party," Mushoriwa said.

In the most significant political shake-up in the party since the split from the mainstream MDC, Ncube has assembled a strong legion of supporters from party structures opposed to Arthur Mutambara, the current president.

Analysts say Ncube will now become the frontrunner to take over as Deputy Prime Minister in the coalition government, a post Mutambara is occupying because of his position in the MDC-M.

Ncube and his supporters are also expected to win a clean sweep of four other top positions in the party after his top lieutenants received significant nominations to see them through their elections.

Ncube's confidante and Deputy Secretary General Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga is set to take over his current position, after she received 9 out of eleven nominations for the post. Goodwill Chimbaira is all set to win the national chairmanship position after garnering 10 nominations, while party stalwart Paul Temba Nyathi has so far got eight nominations for the post of Treasurer General.

Mutambara had fought hard to retain control of the MDC-M but support for him has collapsed in recent months, as his controversial positions on siding with Robert Mugabe on some issues in government have taken their toll. He has only received one nomination in the race for MDC-M Secretary General.