Tsvangirai calls for a crisis meeting

OPPOSITION MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has summoned members of his national council to an emergency meeting tomorrow to resolve internal fissures triggered by his recent appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as the party's vice-presidents.

Tsvangirai's spokesperson Luke Tamborinyorika confirmed the development, but declined to disclose the agenda of the meeting which comes hardly two weeks after another firefighting indaba failed to resolve the impasse.

"It's true that on Wednesday there will be a national council meeting," Tamborinyorika said.

Tsvangirai last month appointed Chamisa and Mudzuri as his deputies in addition to Thokozani Khupe amid speculation the move was meant to dilute the latter's political ambitions and stabilise the party after the MDC-T leader went public over his health status.

The former Prime Minister recently disclosed that he had cancer of the colon and regularly visits South Africa for chemotherapy treatment.

The appointments have, however, reportedly divided the party with other top officials claiming they were done unprocedurally. But, Tsvangirai insists his decision was guided by the party's constitution, adding Mudzuri and Chamisa's appointments were meant to strengthen the MDC-T's preparations for the 2018 elections.

Two party members, Partson Murimoga and George Rice, have since filed a High Court application seeking nullification of the appointments.

Last week, the party's standing committee meeting was allegedly abandoned after 20 minutes as some members strongly rejected the presence of Chamisa and Mudzuri at the indaba.

"The appointments were done after the national council meeting and the new appointments were not formally presented for endorsement by the national council. This (tomorrow's) meeting is meant to cure that," the source said.