The Financial Gazette

Staff Reporters

THE Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) is set to amend its constitution during its national congress with proposals for the creation of a Council of Elders that will advise party leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his executive as they plot to end President Robert Mugabe’s 31-year rule. Proposals for the amendment of the party’s constitution, first written in 1999 before the infamous split of the united MDC in 2005, were submitted by provinces to the MDC-T national council that met in Harare yesterday on the eve of the national congress, which kicks-off in Bulawayo today.
Party insiders claim that proposals to insert term limits on Tsvangirai and his deputy, Thokozani Kuphe’s portfolios, were rejected as consultations on what amendments to effect were being debated by the structures.
The insiders said there was widespread sentiment the presidential term for Tsvangirai should be limitless for now “until we reach the promised land.” This appeared to suggest that the party has no confidence in any of its other members to lead the MDC-T before the ouster of President Mugabe’s government, a pattern critics said was a familiar cancer eating into political institutions in Africa.
Other MDC-T insiders said the move to influence amendments in favour of Tsvangirai were being pushed by hardliners who perceived themselves to be close to the former trade unionist and therefore likely to benefit from his incumbency.
According to the original MDC constitution crafted in 1999, Tsvangirai should have stepped down this year but a clause extending his tenure was Nichodimously removed in 2009.
“When the MDC was formed in 1999 we did not think the struggle would take so long. So we are forced not to limit Tsvangirai’s term until the time we have won the struggle. While there might be debate at congress over the issue, the presidential limits would not be part of the amendments,” said the source privy to the goings-on in the party.
Nelson Chamisa, the MDC-T spokesperson, said while there would be amendments to the party’s constitution, it“was unhealthy to start speculating on issues, which have not been officially raised in the party.” Chamisa said it would be normal for the MDC-T to have amendments at its congress, saying       the party had grown to unimaginable levels in the last three      years.
“The amendments are in response to the growth we are experiencing as the party of excellence. We are evolving. For instance we never budgeted for ministers in government, city fathers in local government authorities and lawmakers in Parliament.
“These and other things that have been happening in the party for the past few years are being taken care of in the amendments to our constitution,” he said.
Tsvangirai has been nominated by all of the party’s provinces and is unlikely to face any challenge for his position.
The MDC-T president has had to quell disturbances in the provinces triggered by a bruising fight for positions. Tsvangirai’s move was meant to curtail a potentially explosive situation in the host province of Bulawayo where Gorden Moyo was controversially elected the province’s chairperson ahead of the area’s former boss, Matson Hlalo.
Tsvangirai has contested presidential elections against President Mugabe twice since 2002, but failed to land the top job although he beat the incumbent in the 2008 plebiscite but failed to garner enough votes to be declared the winner, forcing a runoff in which he pulled out citing violence.
President Mugabe went on to win the runoff election but failed to win legitimacy forcing him to accept a Southern African Development Community brokered deal under which he formed an inclusive government with the two MDC formations.

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