News / National
MDC-T rebuilding in shambles
28 Aug 2014 at 09:02hrs | Views
THE Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T)'s restructuring has gone off the rails amid indications that the party has run out of money to finance the project.
According to the Financial Gazette, some senior party members approached the MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, early this month with the proposal to have the party's elective congress postponed from October to next year after noting that the restructuring had missed key timelines.
But the former trade unionist turned them down saying the country's largest opposition party could not go on in its disjointed state. The party has been seized with bickering among senior party members keen on controlling key structures ahead of the October congress. The congress was necessitated by the departure of several disgruntled members who were expelled for calling for leadership renewal after the MDC-T's heavy drubbing in elections last year.
But the congress itself now hangs in the balance as the MDC-T has run out of funds to finance its restructuring, which should precede the indaba. "The build up to the congress is proving to be a very difficult thing because resources are scarce. The party has no money to fund these processes and it has almost stalled," said a top MDC-T official. "Donors are not forthcoming and the coffers have dried up."
So delicate has the situation become that the party has been forced to re-schedule the youths and women's assembly congresses to run concurrently with the main congress. The MDC-T constitution states that the two congresses should be held separately well ahead of the main congress. This has been the norm since the party's formation in 1999.
But this time around, they will be held during the course of the congress itself which is scheduled to run between October 28 and 31 with the first two days reserved for the youth and women's assembly congresses. It has also emerged that MDC-T members at the lower levels of the party are disgruntled by the pressure being exerted on them by senior party members who are lining up their preferred candidates to ensure the structures are filled with their allies in order to secure positions they are aspiring for at the congress.
The lower level members alleged that they were being overwhelmed by the meddling by the top brass who are canvassing for support in the branches and the wards which are currently having their congresses. Although the MDC-T has finalised the formation of the lowest organ - the branch - it has failed to meet its deadline for the formation of wards. While the reformation of the lowest MDC-T structure - the branch - ended mid last month, the party has missed its August 15 deadline for the completion of wards rebuilding.
Ward congresses are still underway across the country which means the party might also fail to meet its deadline for the formation of districts. MDC-T insiders said district reformation, which is due to end this Saturday is yet to kick off amid indications that all is not well in the country's main opposition party. The party leadership has also come under severe criticism for the confusion surrounding the restructuring as some feel that the powers of the provinces and districts which are charged with the responsibility of superintending over proceedings in the lower structures according to the party's constitution, were being undermined.
MDC-T insiders claimed this week that several senior party members were lining up organs with members who would back them at the congress with some being accused of using cash enticements to ensure that their proxies get into influential positions. Sources said the situation has left the party badly exposed to infiltration by the MDC Renewal Team, the group of disgruntled party members fronted by expelled secretary-general, Tendai Biti.
Biti and other leaders were 'expelled' from the Tsvangirai led formation early this year when they agitated for the ouster of the former trade unionist. MDC-T sources said they were witnessing a complete disregard of the party's constitution by senior members who are pushing people without proper credentials into positions.
The sources said some suspected Zanu-PF infiltrators were also landing crucial positions. "Right now we have big problems with our restructuring exercise. The top people are moving around denouncing and denigrating each other in the most shameless way as they seek to consolidate their power base. If this is allowed to persist, we might end up in a messy situation which might be difficult to control," said a Harare based MDC-T official.
A top MDC-T member who declined to be named said, "The reports we are getting from the provinces are quite disturbing. There is serious meddling by top party members and this is creating huge chances for infiltration. In have personally received reports of Renewal Team sending its people to occupy those positions in Matabeleland North and Masvingo Provinces so that they can cause disturbances in future and Zanu-PF is also doing the same."
"These top people should allow those at the grassroots to form to choose their own leaders because they know the people who have been loyal to the party throughout," he added.
MDC-T spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora, urged those who had grievances to bring them to the party's headquarters in Harare. "If there is anybody with any problem with the on-going restructuring exercise, they should report that to the organising department. But to say that the so-called Renewal people are infiltrating the party is giving them more credit that they deserve. They cannot raise enough membership for their own leadership positions," said Mwonzora before referring further questions to Chamisa.
"The best person to answer questions on restructuring is Chamisa, he is the head of the department which deals with that," he said. Chamisa has since refuted allegations of interfering in the process in an earlier interview with this paper. MDC Renewal team spokesman, Jacob Mafume, dismissed claims that their camp was planting infiltrators in the MDC-T. "We have nothing to do with Tsvangirai structures. The so-called face of democracy hates competition," Mafume said.
According to the Financial Gazette, some senior party members approached the MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, early this month with the proposal to have the party's elective congress postponed from October to next year after noting that the restructuring had missed key timelines.
But the former trade unionist turned them down saying the country's largest opposition party could not go on in its disjointed state. The party has been seized with bickering among senior party members keen on controlling key structures ahead of the October congress. The congress was necessitated by the departure of several disgruntled members who were expelled for calling for leadership renewal after the MDC-T's heavy drubbing in elections last year.
But the congress itself now hangs in the balance as the MDC-T has run out of funds to finance its restructuring, which should precede the indaba. "The build up to the congress is proving to be a very difficult thing because resources are scarce. The party has no money to fund these processes and it has almost stalled," said a top MDC-T official. "Donors are not forthcoming and the coffers have dried up."
So delicate has the situation become that the party has been forced to re-schedule the youths and women's assembly congresses to run concurrently with the main congress. The MDC-T constitution states that the two congresses should be held separately well ahead of the main congress. This has been the norm since the party's formation in 1999.
But this time around, they will be held during the course of the congress itself which is scheduled to run between October 28 and 31 with the first two days reserved for the youth and women's assembly congresses. It has also emerged that MDC-T members at the lower levels of the party are disgruntled by the pressure being exerted on them by senior party members who are lining up their preferred candidates to ensure the structures are filled with their allies in order to secure positions they are aspiring for at the congress.
The lower level members alleged that they were being overwhelmed by the meddling by the top brass who are canvassing for support in the branches and the wards which are currently having their congresses. Although the MDC-T has finalised the formation of the lowest organ - the branch - it has failed to meet its deadline for the formation of wards. While the reformation of the lowest MDC-T structure - the branch - ended mid last month, the party has missed its August 15 deadline for the completion of wards rebuilding.
Ward congresses are still underway across the country which means the party might also fail to meet its deadline for the formation of districts. MDC-T insiders said district reformation, which is due to end this Saturday is yet to kick off amid indications that all is not well in the country's main opposition party. The party leadership has also come under severe criticism for the confusion surrounding the restructuring as some feel that the powers of the provinces and districts which are charged with the responsibility of superintending over proceedings in the lower structures according to the party's constitution, were being undermined.
MDC-T insiders claimed this week that several senior party members were lining up organs with members who would back them at the congress with some being accused of using cash enticements to ensure that their proxies get into influential positions. Sources said the situation has left the party badly exposed to infiltration by the MDC Renewal Team, the group of disgruntled party members fronted by expelled secretary-general, Tendai Biti.
Biti and other leaders were 'expelled' from the Tsvangirai led formation early this year when they agitated for the ouster of the former trade unionist. MDC-T sources said they were witnessing a complete disregard of the party's constitution by senior members who are pushing people without proper credentials into positions.
The sources said some suspected Zanu-PF infiltrators were also landing crucial positions. "Right now we have big problems with our restructuring exercise. The top people are moving around denouncing and denigrating each other in the most shameless way as they seek to consolidate their power base. If this is allowed to persist, we might end up in a messy situation which might be difficult to control," said a Harare based MDC-T official.
A top MDC-T member who declined to be named said, "The reports we are getting from the provinces are quite disturbing. There is serious meddling by top party members and this is creating huge chances for infiltration. In have personally received reports of Renewal Team sending its people to occupy those positions in Matabeleland North and Masvingo Provinces so that they can cause disturbances in future and Zanu-PF is also doing the same."
"These top people should allow those at the grassroots to form to choose their own leaders because they know the people who have been loyal to the party throughout," he added.
MDC-T spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora, urged those who had grievances to bring them to the party's headquarters in Harare. "If there is anybody with any problem with the on-going restructuring exercise, they should report that to the organising department. But to say that the so-called Renewal people are infiltrating the party is giving them more credit that they deserve. They cannot raise enough membership for their own leadership positions," said Mwonzora before referring further questions to Chamisa.
"The best person to answer questions on restructuring is Chamisa, he is the head of the department which deals with that," he said. Chamisa has since refuted allegations of interfering in the process in an earlier interview with this paper. MDC Renewal team spokesman, Jacob Mafume, dismissed claims that their camp was planting infiltrators in the MDC-T. "We have nothing to do with Tsvangirai structures. The so-called face of democracy hates competition," Mafume said.
Source - fingaz
