Zimbabwe opposition hopes to reboot and challenge Mugabe

Enfeebled by its electoral loss to veteran leader Robert Mugabe and a post-vote split, Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change meets on Friday to elect new leaders and forge a new plan against Mugabe’s 34-year rule. MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said the two-day party congress, expected to attract 7,000 delegates, was likely to retain Morgan Tsvangirai as leader and, MDC members hope, see the embattled party emerge stronger. Formed in 1999, the MDC with former trade unionist Tsvangirai as leader has presented the most formidable challenge to Mugabe’s stranglehold on power. But it was weakened by Mugabe’s strongarm tactics and splits among party officials.

We are rebooting and re-energising the party to confront the dictatorship that is ZANU-PF and address the problems affecting Zimbabwe. We are ending the congress by electing a team that will lead Zimbabweans to a new Zimbabwe.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told AFP

Analysts expect little from the MDC congress, saying the party has lost focus after its defeat to ZANU-PF in last year’s general elections. Splits have been prompted by arguments over Tsvangirai’s continued leadership, despite a series of election defeats and personal scandals. A party faction headed by Tsvangirai’s erstwhile deputy Tendai Biti moved to suspend him, and the veteran trade union leader promptly responded by expelling all involved in the bid to cast him aside.

When you are busy fighting for positions instead of mobilising for support it means something is wrong.

Rushweat Mukundu, analyst with the political think tank Zimbabwe Democracy Institute

Africa