Tsvangirai to continue as MDC-T president until 2028 - report

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai is to continue ruling his MDC-T party all the way until the year 2028 or even to 2033, it as emerged.

"President Tsvangirai will remain party leader for a few more years. Were he to fail to replace Mugabe, he would still remain as party head until the next presidential election," a senior party official said.

Their statement followed another made by the party's national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa who in 2011 officially revealed that the party will only begin counting Tsvangirai's tenure after he has entered government as Head of State.

"Once president Tsvangirai gets into government, we then start counting - But in government, not in the party."

Chamisa's comments were also buttressed by Home Affairs Minister Theresa Makone, who said that Tsvangirai has been performing well and so the party sees no need to replace him at the moment.

"If a person is performing well, why should we remove him?," she said.

Saying that the decision to retain Tsvangirai was unanimous, Chamisa blasted critics who have accused Tsvangirai of dictatorship.

However, exiled senior Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) official Roy Bennett has called for a new leadership of the troubled opposition party, suggesting that Morgan Tsvangirai's continued stay in power did not reflect the will of the people.

Bennett appears to be at odds with the rest of the MDC-T's top brass, who have endorsed the opposition leader.

Mr Tsvangirai has had the MDC-T change its constitution, which limits the leader to only two terms, saying he would stay on as party president for as long as the rank and file wanted him to.

"Mr Tsvangirai has served two terms and is nearly completing a third," Mr Bennett said.

Party insiders said Mr Bennett's questioning of Mr Tsvangirai's leadership has brought to the surface the "unspoken differences and disgruntlement" that has been brewing in MDC-T structures for some time.

The fissures also surfaced during the party's election campaign, with allegations being made of imposed candidates and factionalism. The Manicaland executive absconded from Mr Tsvangirai's "star rally" in the province in protest against his imposition of candidates there.

It remains unclear if Mr Tsvangirai will seek a fourth term as party leader. His spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka on Tuesday said the prerogative (for an extended term) was in the hands of the party and the elective congress due to take place in 2016.

Political analyst Simukai Tinhu said a further manipulation of the party constitution to cushion Mr Tsvangirai's presidency bid would set off alarm bells and provide cannon fodder to his political opponents.

"Mr Tsvangirai has already once amended his party's constitution to allow him to have a third term as leader.

"Hanging on to the MDC-T leadership for yet another term would no doubt provide ammunition to Zanu-PF, which could paint him as hypocritical, while western supporters would no doubt find it more difficult to back a man engaging in undemocratic practices within his own party," said Mr Tinhu.