Welshman Ncube's MDC rocked by favouritism allegations

Former Industry minister Welshman Ncube's MDC party is on the verge of implosion amid accusations of favoritism and appointment of key personnel on ethnic grounds, The Zimbabwe Mail has learnt.

Less than a day following the announcement that the party was officially in negotiations with a faction of the MDC-T now known as the renewal team, on unity talks, insiders yesterday revealed deep divisions rocking the party.

"A storm is brewing and its coming, I can tell you. It is going to be fireworks at the national executive meeting that they have convened for Saturday. They have appointed a committee that consists of Nhlahla Dube (spokesperson), Ellen Shiriyedenga, Kuda Munengiwa and a lawyer, Sindiso Mazibisa," said an insider.

"The question they need to answer is what meeting constituted the committee because we last held a national council meeting in February last year, and there was never a national executive meeting to discuss the issue of unity with the renewal group."

However, party spokesperson Nhlanhla Dube dismissed the ethnic claims and declined to discuss the flouting of party processes.

"I would strongly urge you to provide the names of the people you say are aggrieved or unhappy or talk to them for comment. I do not know or understand what they mean by claiming that the committee of five is ethnically composed. I do not know what they are talking about," said Dube.

"Zimbabwe has at least 16 ethnic groups, all recognised based on language by the national constitution as well as our party constitution".

When asked to clarify how the committee, of which he is a member, was constituted, Dube said those questioning the process that constituted the negotiating committee have a hidden agenda.

"I certainly do not speak to issues of a hidden agenda but to party processes, and not in the media. If anyone has a problem with whatever would have been done, they would not have approached your good publication but to raise them in the appropriate corridors where they will be dealt with accordingly," he said.

Early this week the party's secretary general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tendai Biti of the MDC renewal faction to create a framework for unity talks to begin.

The agreement, according to a statement issued afterwards ,will bring together the two parties, both off-shoots of the original MDC led by former premier Morgan Tsvangirai. Ncube and Biti are all former secretary-generals of the party, with the former industry minister having been the founding administration chief of the opposition party.

With the two parties expected to meet and make decisions on the proposed unity talks, insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity said the party's vice-president Edwin Mushoriwa was being sidelined by a clique from the Midlands and the western provinces of the country.

"Mushoriwa is being sidelined, he does not know what is happening but we are ready to defend him even if it means a split," The Zimbabwe Mail heard.

"Members of the national executive, disgruntled by the way the party is being administered, have agreed to go to the meeting but in protest because these people (Ncube and the top leadership) are trying to sell us a dummy by claiming we are supposed to debate a document they have already decided upon."

There have been howls of disapproval, growing discontent and simmering tensions since the decision to appoint Misihairabwi-Mushonga the party's representative for Bulilima-Mangwe under the proportional representation system last year following the elections.