Mwonzora Outlaws Suspensions And Expulsions Ahead Of MDC Congress

MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has declared null and void any suspensions and expulsions made ahead of the party’s May elective congress.

This means the structures put in place at the 2014 congress, at which he beat party leader Nelson Chamisa for the post of secretary-general and are seen as loyal to him, will be the ones to chose the new leadership of the party.  Mwonzora is expected to challenge Chamisa for the position of party president. He wrote to all provincial, district and ward chairpersons amid allegations that there were senior officials tampering with structures to impose their preferred people who will vote at the congress. He also clarified that members who stood as independent candidates are not eligible to contest, while those that supported them can stand. The letter dated March 21 reads:

Please, be advised that the national standing committee has directed that after the setting of main congress dates by the national council, no expulsion or suspension of members shall be valid without the specific approval of the standing committee. Please, further note that the only people disqualified from contesting congress positions are, (a) those who stood as independents, (b) those who stood as candidates for other political parties. Specifically, it was ruled that those who allegedly supported independent candidates or other candidates are not covered by this disqualification.

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