Tsvangirai averts another possible split

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, had to balance his "quest for absolute power" and the need to avoid another damaging split, during stormy discussions on constitutional changes to his party constitution, The Zimbabwe Mail reported.

Tsvangirai, fighting for his political survival after the acrimonious row over his leadership led to the second split inside a decade, earlier this year had to "compromise and create a win-win situation" as tempers flared in marathon, two day meetings by the MDC-T top brass, recently.

"The acrimony and divisions were palpable because those against the appointment of key personnel stood their ground and demanded that all positions be elected at congress. He had to balance the need for imperial powers and the demands of the group that was against the changes. In the end, he acted as a leader and agreed to drop most of the changes.

"However, he did not go away empty-handed because now the secretary-general reports to the president so does the treasurer-general," a senior member of the party told The Zimbabwe Mail.

"He managed a very volatile situation very well in the end. The president was also given power to discipline members of the national executive and standing committee, these clauses were not there before".

Party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora confirmed the development but said "most of what happened was clarification of roles".

"We realised that the splits that have dogged us as a party had more to do with personalities than the powers the secretary-general had. Some of them gave themselves constitutional roles that were not defined by the law of the party,"said Mwonzora.

"The president can now recommend disciplinary (action) against members of the national executive and standing committee but he cannot singularly sit as a tribunal. Due process still has to be followed."

"The secretary-general's immediate boss is now the president".

MDC's first split was in 2005 when then founding secretary-general Welshman Ncube broke away, following disagreements over participation in senatorial elections in 2005.

And following the MDC-T's dismal show in the polls last year, calls for Tsvangirai to move over and allow for change of leadership grew. Matters came to a head in January this year when then deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma wrote two damning letters casting aspersions on the former prime minister's leadership qualities and called on him to cede power.

Tsvangirai refused and the chaotic and violent scenes that followed led to another split. Another secretary-general and lawyer once again, this time Tendai Biti who had served as Finance minister in the coalition government, threw his weight behind Mangoma and subsequently left the party after expulsions and counter expulsions.

In a bid to stem the tide, the MDC-T also introduced clauses that not only subordinated the secretary-general to the president but forced the occupant of that office to consult the president before convening any meeting of the national council.

While previously Biti and Ncube had power to register party properties as they wished, "the issue of properties is (now) the prerogative of the national executive. The secretary-general must consult the national executive which should then give its approval to any of the registrations".

Biti and Tsvangirai are locked in a court battle to determine the bona fide custodian of the party's properties following the fall-out.

The party's properties are currently registered in a company known as Larphonic Investments in which Biti and Mangoma are believed to be the sole directors.