News / National
Tsvangirai violates MDC-T constitution
19 Jul 2016 at 06:24hrs | Views
OPPOSITION MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai threw the MDC-T constitution into the dustbin when he appointed to the vice presidency Advocate Nelson Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri last Friday.
This is contrary to claims by party officials close to Mr Tsvangirai that the appointments were procedural.
The development has further divided the MDC-T as some top party officials are meeting nicodemously and strategising against the appointment of Adv Chamisa and Eng Mudzuri.
The MDC-T constitution, which is supposed to be the opposition party's bible, is clear on how vice presidents are supposed to assume power.
Mr Tsvangirai actually violated Section 6.4.3.1 of the MDC-T constitution amended and adopted at its 6th congress at the City Sports Centre in Harare, on November 2014.
Section 6.4.3.1 of the MDC-T constitution reads: "The National Standing Committee shall compose of the following office bearers elected by Congress:
(a) the president
(b) the deputy president
(c) the national chairperson
(d) the deputy chairperson
(e) the secretary general
(f) the treasurer general
(g) organising secretary
(h) secretary for information and publicity
(i) chairperson of the youth assembly
(j) chairperson of the women's assembly who shall each be elected directly by congress from nominations made by the provinces."
The MDC-T constitution also states who the party leader should appoint:
"And (k), the secretary for elections, who shall be appointed by the president, provided that the Standing Committee may invite any party secretary to any of its meetings.
(l) The deputy secretary general, the deputy treasurer general, the deputy organising secretary and the Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity shall be part of the National Standing Committee until the next congress," reads the MDC-T constitution.
The MDC-T constitution makes it explicitly clear that a deputy president is elected according to section 9.1.4, which reads: "The president shall, with the exception of the deputy president and deputy chairperson, appoint deputies to officers of congress from a pool of National Executive members elected from provinces and other office bears where such is provided in this constitution."
The MDC-T was formed in 1999 and its constitution was approved by the inaugural congress held in Chitungwiza in January 2000.
The constitution was amended and adopted at the second congress at the City Sports Centre in Harare on March 18, 2006.
It was again amended and adopted at the third congress at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo on April 30, 2011.
The MDC-T constitution was amended and adopted further at the 6th Congress of the party at the City Sports Centre on November 1, 2014.
Yesterday, another senior party official came out guns blazing branding Mr Tsvangirai a dictator and urging Adv Chamisa and Eng Mudzuri to introspect on the violation of the MDC-T constitution.
This is contrary to claims by party officials close to Mr Tsvangirai that the appointments were procedural.
The development has further divided the MDC-T as some top party officials are meeting nicodemously and strategising against the appointment of Adv Chamisa and Eng Mudzuri.
The MDC-T constitution, which is supposed to be the opposition party's bible, is clear on how vice presidents are supposed to assume power.
Mr Tsvangirai actually violated Section 6.4.3.1 of the MDC-T constitution amended and adopted at its 6th congress at the City Sports Centre in Harare, on November 2014.
Section 6.4.3.1 of the MDC-T constitution reads: "The National Standing Committee shall compose of the following office bearers elected by Congress:
(a) the president
(b) the deputy president
(c) the national chairperson
(d) the deputy chairperson
(e) the secretary general
(f) the treasurer general
(g) organising secretary
(h) secretary for information and publicity
(i) chairperson of the youth assembly
(j) chairperson of the women's assembly who shall each be elected directly by congress from nominations made by the provinces."
The MDC-T constitution also states who the party leader should appoint:
(l) The deputy secretary general, the deputy treasurer general, the deputy organising secretary and the Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity shall be part of the National Standing Committee until the next congress," reads the MDC-T constitution.
The MDC-T constitution makes it explicitly clear that a deputy president is elected according to section 9.1.4, which reads: "The president shall, with the exception of the deputy president and deputy chairperson, appoint deputies to officers of congress from a pool of National Executive members elected from provinces and other office bears where such is provided in this constitution."
The MDC-T was formed in 1999 and its constitution was approved by the inaugural congress held in Chitungwiza in January 2000.
The constitution was amended and adopted at the second congress at the City Sports Centre in Harare on March 18, 2006.
It was again amended and adopted at the third congress at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo on April 30, 2011.
The MDC-T constitution was amended and adopted further at the 6th Congress of the party at the City Sports Centre on November 1, 2014.
Yesterday, another senior party official came out guns blazing branding Mr Tsvangirai a dictator and urging Adv Chamisa and Eng Mudzuri to introspect on the violation of the MDC-T constitution.
Source - chronicle
