News / National
'Nikuv' played a part in MDC-T elections, to trigger instability at MDC-T
03 Nov 2014 at 11:41hrs | Views
Former MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora scored an unexpected crushing victory over youthful legislator Nelson Chamisa at the weekend, to win the coveted position of party secretary general.
The shock result - which saw Mwonzora getting 2 464 votes against Chamisa's 1 756 - set tongues wagging within the party, amid allegations on social media platforms by the 36-year-old politician's supporters that "Nikuv" had played a part in the surprise outcome.
Analysts now fear that Mwonzora's stunning defeat of Chamisa, who until the weekend was the runaway favourite to land the SG's post, the de facto second most powerful position in the party, could trigger a new wave of instability within the beleaguered official opposition.
Chamisa was conspicuously absent as results were announced at the congress, and he was not taking calls yesterday. But prior to the vote, he had been touted as "virtually a shoe-in for the post", and had been seen as a potential successor to party leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
"I feel very humbled by the massive support that I have received from the MDC family. This was a very big contest because I was contesting a very competent person, and I know honourable Chamisa is a man of great talent. He has a very good future, he should not be disheartened by this," Mwonzora told the Daily News yesterday.
The result of the ballot, announced at around 7am at the City Sports Centre yesterday, sent shock waves through the ranks of MDC supporters, amid claims that Chamisa may have paid dearly for crossing Tsvangirai's path.
Supporters of the Kuwadzana East MP allege that he resisted a raft of constitutional changes that had been proposed by Tsvangirai, and which were meant to dilute the powers of the secretary general and centralise power in the MDC leader's office.
This allegedly did not sit well with Tsvangirai and his supporters.
Ominously for Chamisa, the weekend party congress had resolved to concentrate power in the MDC leader's office ahead of the ballot.
"Congress resolved to amend the constitution to allow the (MDC) president to be the custodian of the party name, custodian of all party assets, to supervise all in the leadership, to be the party's chief fundraiser and to suspend National Standing Committee members through the National Council for breach of the party constitution," a key resolution from the congress said.
"In this regard the secretary general shall no longer be responsible 'for all party affairs in the National Secretariat' and shall report to the president," it went further.
"It's a big joke," said one official, opposed to the changes. "Now he can suspend anyone and he owns all properties. Just imagine. And everyone reports to him."
Chamisa, a former student leader, had until the weekend never lost an election since helping form the MDC in 1999.
The former organising secretary, popular with many in the grassroots, had a row with Tsvangirai at the Mutare nomination gathering, where he apparently accused the opposition leader of meddling in the Manicaland party provincial elections.
The elections saw Tsvangirai personally taking part in the nomination process there, where Mwonzora - who until then had not got any nominations for the SG post, got a ringing endorsement from the region.
But Chamisa's opponents accuse the youthful legislator of being "big headed" and having over-weaning ambition. He was also accused by his detractors of allowing the party to suffer a crushing defeat in last year's disputed national elections that were won controversially by President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF.
The results of the secretary general polls at the weekend, run by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), completely flew in the face of the nomination tally that had Chamisa garnering 11 out of 12 provinces.
Insiders say Chamisa's defeat could reshape many areas of policy in the Standing Committee, in particular the so-called "scientific organising" he had introduced.
Many critics also say the MDC is unlikely to make much gains in the next national elections without the media-savvy former organisaing secretary, who has now become an ordinary card-carrying member.
One angry Chamisa supporter said: "These guys are vision-less like (President Robert) Mugabe. You can't get rid of all your likely successors!".
The shock result - which saw Mwonzora getting 2 464 votes against Chamisa's 1 756 - set tongues wagging within the party, amid allegations on social media platforms by the 36-year-old politician's supporters that "Nikuv" had played a part in the surprise outcome.
Analysts now fear that Mwonzora's stunning defeat of Chamisa, who until the weekend was the runaway favourite to land the SG's post, the de facto second most powerful position in the party, could trigger a new wave of instability within the beleaguered official opposition.
Chamisa was conspicuously absent as results were announced at the congress, and he was not taking calls yesterday. But prior to the vote, he had been touted as "virtually a shoe-in for the post", and had been seen as a potential successor to party leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
"I feel very humbled by the massive support that I have received from the MDC family. This was a very big contest because I was contesting a very competent person, and I know honourable Chamisa is a man of great talent. He has a very good future, he should not be disheartened by this," Mwonzora told the Daily News yesterday.
The result of the ballot, announced at around 7am at the City Sports Centre yesterday, sent shock waves through the ranks of MDC supporters, amid claims that Chamisa may have paid dearly for crossing Tsvangirai's path.
Supporters of the Kuwadzana East MP allege that he resisted a raft of constitutional changes that had been proposed by Tsvangirai, and which were meant to dilute the powers of the secretary general and centralise power in the MDC leader's office.
This allegedly did not sit well with Tsvangirai and his supporters.
Ominously for Chamisa, the weekend party congress had resolved to concentrate power in the MDC leader's office ahead of the ballot.
"Congress resolved to amend the constitution to allow the (MDC) president to be the custodian of the party name, custodian of all party assets, to supervise all in the leadership, to be the party's chief fundraiser and to suspend National Standing Committee members through the National Council for breach of the party constitution," a key resolution from the congress said.
"It's a big joke," said one official, opposed to the changes. "Now he can suspend anyone and he owns all properties. Just imagine. And everyone reports to him."
Chamisa, a former student leader, had until the weekend never lost an election since helping form the MDC in 1999.
The former organising secretary, popular with many in the grassroots, had a row with Tsvangirai at the Mutare nomination gathering, where he apparently accused the opposition leader of meddling in the Manicaland party provincial elections.
The elections saw Tsvangirai personally taking part in the nomination process there, where Mwonzora - who until then had not got any nominations for the SG post, got a ringing endorsement from the region.
But Chamisa's opponents accuse the youthful legislator of being "big headed" and having over-weaning ambition. He was also accused by his detractors of allowing the party to suffer a crushing defeat in last year's disputed national elections that were won controversially by President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF.
The results of the secretary general polls at the weekend, run by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), completely flew in the face of the nomination tally that had Chamisa garnering 11 out of 12 provinces.
Insiders say Chamisa's defeat could reshape many areas of policy in the Standing Committee, in particular the so-called "scientific organising" he had introduced.
Many critics also say the MDC is unlikely to make much gains in the next national elections without the media-savvy former organisaing secretary, who has now become an ordinary card-carrying member.
One angry Chamisa supporter said: "These guys are vision-less like (President Robert) Mugabe. You can't get rid of all your likely successors!".
Source - dailynews
