By Wezhira Munya
As MDC sitting councillor Mhetu dumps Mwonzora and joins CCC.
Today, MDC under Mwonzora is holding a crisis-induced National Council meeting at Morgan Tsvangirai’s house.
Speaking to Studio 7 morning news today (August 7th, 2023), according to MDC presidential party spokesperson Mr. Lloyd Damba, “Today, the National Council, the Supreme decision-making body, will convene to review various matters and chart a way forward. Among the many topics to be discussed, we will come to a resolution on whether to participate or not in the forthcoming harmonized elections on August 23rd, 2023.”
There are senior MDC members who oppose Mwonzora’s leadership and are urging the party to withdraw from contesting the harmonized elections, citing that the party is no longer sallable to the electorate.
Should MDC Mwonzora withdraw from the harmonized elections?
However, MDC President Mr. Douglas Mwonzora and his pro-factionalists are advocating for MDC’s participation in the elections.
MDC has managed to field Mwonzora as its presidential candidate, with only 24 out of 210 parliamentary candidates and less than 3% of council candidates, Proportional Representatives, senators, youth quarter, and 30% council candidates.
This is the worst performance by MDC since its formation in 1999.
MDC failed to field candidates due to failure to pay nomination fees for 87 aspiring members of parliament and the late arrival of some candidates at the nomination court.
A majority of MDC members declined to be candidates on August 23rd, 2023, after MDC performed poorly during the by-elections.
Under Mwonzora, the MDC experienced its worst performance in history during the 2022 by-elections, in which the party received zero votes in many wards and constituencies.
Mwonzora failed to unite the party and instill confidence, resulting in numerous splits and the departure of several senior members to join Citizens’ Coalition for Change [CCC] or Zanu PF.
Some senior MDC members who broke away from Mwonzora’s leadership include Vice President Engineer Elias Mudzuri, former party chairperson Morgan Komichi, and Mr. Norest Marara.
Conversely, some senior MDC members joined the Citizens Coalition for Change party, including MDC’s current sitting councillor for Warren Park, Mr. Tichavona Mhetu.
Councillor Mhetu stated, “I officially joined CCC on August 5th, 2023. I have immediately resigned from the unpopular MDC led by Mwonzora. CCC is the only opposition party with the capacity to dislodge Zanu PF. You can see everywhere people are saying yes to CCC, yes to Yellow, yes to President Nelson Chamisa and the writing is on the wall.”
A few weeks ago, MDC party spokesperson Mr. Witness Dube dumped Mwonzora and joined Zanu-PF.
Dube joined numerous former MDC members of parliament who switched to Zanu PF last month, July 2023.
MDC members of parliament and councillors dumped Mwonzora knowing fully well that, they cannot be recalled.
One of Mwonzora’s close aides (who preferred not to be named due to fear of victimization) said, “Mwonzora feels betrayed by Mr. Witness Dube, members of parliament, and councillors who joined Zanu PF and CCC. He believes they used him to obtain parliamentary cars, US $40,000, and stands, among other things.”
