via Chaos at MDC Renewal congress | The Herald September 12, 2015
There was chaos at the MDC Renewal congress yesterday as Manicaland Province protested the party’s failure to include their representative from the national executive that was announced to mark the end of the convention.
MDC Renewal, which has since adopted the name People’s Democratic Party, confirmed the party’s interim secretary general, Mr Tendai Biti as its president.
Mr Biti’s celebration of his elevation was almost derailed as the opposition party’s Manicaland province drowned the ululation with their protest, which lasted almost one hour.
Most delegates occupying the bay reserved for Manicaland province could be heard shouting that such kind of arrogance by party leadership was the very reason why they left MDC-T, led by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, hoping that there would be an improvement at the MDC Renewal.
Manicaland province, which was the leading province in terms of turnout, was expecting Mr Julius Magaramombe to be elected treasurer, but to their surprise, he was elected deputy treasurer in the national leadership of the party, triggering an outcry from the people from his province.
The commotion eventually forced the party leadership at the high table to waive the celebratory mood and intervened to save themselves from the glaring embarrassment caused by the protest.
The protest occurred after Election Resource Centre represented by Mr Tawanda Chimhini, which conducted the polls, announced that Mr Biti had been duly elected as president.
Party interim deputy national chairperson, Ms Lucia Matibenga, who was elected party national chairperson, promised to resolve the matter soon after the congress but never revealed on how the leadership was going to address it.
Interim national chairperson, Dr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, was elected vice president.
In his acceptance speech Mr Biti promised to engage the Western countries like Britain, German, and Netherlands among others, to get support until elections.
“We will engage other countries like Britain, Germany and the Hague among others,” he said. Mr Biti advised Mr Solomon Madzore, who was elected as deputy organising secretary of the party, to shun factionalism adding that it caused some physical fights during their time in the MDC-T.
“To you Madzore, I advise you not to let the demon of factionalism to seduce you because there is a big task ahead of you,’’ he said.
Mr Biti promised to work with other parties in the sphere of politics, saying party leadership had resolved to meet next week to resolve some problems including that on the Manicaland province.
Other issues to be resolved was the completion of the party constitution as well as planning a road map.
Ms Evelyn Masaiti was elected Women Assembly chairperson, while the Youth Assembly would be led by Mr Moses Manyengavana.
COMMENTS
With these chaotic incidences at the inception of PDP surely Biti has no luxury of wasting his time bad-mouthing Tsvangirayi. If anything, Biti has a mammoth task in uniting his already fragmented party. It would be very unfortunate for Biti not to realize this & continue with his foolish antics of badmouthing Tsvangi.
Question are: Since Biti calls himself “Mr Perfect” saka vanopenga here vanhu vekuManicaland vari kugunun’una avo? Zuro, ndizuro Mangoma akatiza achimema pamusoro paBiti – aipenga futi nhayi? ……
Biti is power-hungry. He is now head of PDP so that should appease him. However, I see no future for them as only a few of their relatives will vote for them come election time.
He will be aware that focussing insults towards the person of Tswangirai will not get him votes. He needs to articulate the agenda of his party and hope that people vote him into power.
Tswangirai and his MDC are doing very very well despite the likes of Biti wishing him all the bad luck.
Biti is the same guy who, as finance minister in the GNU, accused Gono of looting diamonds funds yet became Gono’s lawyer and defended him in a court of law. So much about the man’s principles.
He is all about power and money this one…….