DETAILS have emerged on how MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai defied recommendations by his party’s national council (NC) on the appointment of two vice-presidents as he imposed Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri.
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Tsvangirai announced the appointment of Chamisa and Mudzuri as new VPs along with the elected Thokozani Khuphe on July 15 amid murmurs in the party that he had not consulted widely before the far-reaching decision to reconfigure the party.
The former prime minister defended his decision, saying he was only following recommendations of an NC meeting, but senior party officials accused the MDC-T leader of lying. Senior party leaders this week revealed the NC meeting held the day before the shock announcement discussed a proposal for only one additional VP and not two, and did not agree on the issue before deferring the matter for further debate in a follow-up meeting . At the meeting, sources said, the names of Chamisa and Mudzuri were not even brought up as there was no agreement on an additional VP with those against the proposal basing their argument on a 2014 party congress resolution that rejected the issue of two VPs.
However, Tsvangirai unilaterally went ahead and appointed Chamisa and Mudzuri as co-VPs after tossing away NC recommendations to defer the matter for further discussion, in what senior party officials argued demonstrated that the former trade unionist “cannot be trusted with keys to State House”.
“He has shown that he is not fit to run this country. At least President Robert Mugabe is better because he first whips party members into line to amend his Zanu PF party constitution to allow or ensure that whatever decision he makes is in line with the party constitution,” a senior party official said yesterday.
“With these appointments, Tsvangirai has shown that he is a danger to the MDC-T and is also a mirror of what he will do when he gets keys to State House. “He has shown that he will not hesitate to veto the decisions of the people.
“The issue of having a second VP was raised from the floor, discussed but no agreement was reached.
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“The discussion was on having only one additional VP and not two as Tsvangirai announced.
“The NC did not give him any mandate to appoint two VPs but recommended that the matter be deferred for further discussion in a follow-up meeting but alas, and to the surprise of everyone, Tsvangirai went ahead to announce not one but two VPs of his choice the following day flanked by his wife [Elizabeth], in complete disregard of recommendations of the NC.”
Khupe, organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe, secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora and party spokesperson Obert Gutu did not attend the meeting, amid allegations that another meeting was held at Harvest House on Friday to block or even assault them for reportedly pushing ordinary party members to sue Tsvangirai over the co-VP appointments. Bhebhe, Khupe, Gutu and Mwonzora have refused to talk about the appointments, referring all questions to Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai was sued last week over the appointment of Chamisa and Mudzuri as VPs.
George Rice, a provincial executive member and Patson Murimoga, an ordinary party member from Masvingo in their High Court application insist Tsvangirai violated the MDC-T constitution.
“The NC is provided for in Article 6.4.1 of the 5th respondent’s constitution and nowhere does it empower the NC or the president of the 5th respondent to appoint deputy president.
“Congress has powers provided for in Article 6.2.3 of the 5th respondent’s constitution while the national council is provided for in Article 6.4.7,” Murimoga said in his founding affidavit.
In the court challenge, Tsvangirai is cited as first respondent, while Chamisa and Mudzuri are second and third.
MDC-T national chairperson Lovemore Moyo is fourth, with the MDC-T as a party also cited as the fifth respondent.
Murimoga added: “I have also read the agenda of the national council and I noticed that there was never an agenda to appoint a deputy president and I am reliably advised there was never a resolution to appoint a deputy president as what 1st respondent purported to do.
“Even if there was ever such an agenda, such resolution, both would be in violation of 5th respondent’s constitution and therefore null and void.”
The appointments have left the party deeply divided amid fears this could also cause another split.
Other sources say Tsvangirai met Khupe three days before the big announcement.
“After getting wind of the impending appointments, Khupe drove to Tsvangirai’s house and confronted him over the issue in Elizabeth’s presence,” the source said.
“Khupe told Tsvangirai that he was being influenced by his wife and that Elizabeth was increasingly becoming a source of internal discohesion.”
However, Tsvangirai’s spoesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said although he had heard of the rumour, it was not true.
“We have heard that rumour but it has no substance,” he said.
“Tsvangirai only met Khupe hours before the appointments and told her he had been directed by the national council to make the appointments.”
Tamborinyoka dismissed the claims that Tsvangirai’s wife had influenced the appointments.
“That is hogwash and contemptuous of the president to claim that he has been influenced by his wife or anyone else,” he said.
“All those who attended the press briefing will tell you that Mrs Tsvangirai attended the briefing by invitation and at the very last minute. It is not like her attendance was pre-planned because we had only set two chairs at the top table.”
Tsvangirai last month announced he had colon cancer. Since then, he has been in and out of the country for treatment in South Africa.
There is speculation the appointments of Chamisa and Mudzuri were meant to manage the long-serving MDC-T leader’s succession.
