‘MDC-T now a Tsvangirai project’

POLITICAL analysts yesterday warned that the constitutional amendments adopted by the MDC-T at the weekend to have all administrative powers centred around its leader Morgan Tsvangirai was likely to further weaken the already fractured opposition party.

POLITICAL analysts yesterday warned that the constitutional amendments adopted by the MDC-T at the weekend to have all administrative powers centred around its leader Morgan Tsvangirai was likely to further weaken the already fractured opposition party. MOSES MATENGA STAFF REPORTER

In separate interviews, the analysts said the wholesale constitutional amendments would soon haunt the party, as they had ignored the principle of separation of powers and turned Tsvangirai into a “demi-god”.

“Congress is a time to reflect and restrategise on party policies for the next five years, but it seems for the MDC-T, it was about Tsvangirai’s power,” analyst, Blessing Vava said.

“It, however, shows that the MDC=T is now a personal project, where everything revolves around its leader.”

In a statement, the MDC-Renewal team, which comprises of members who recently broke away from Tsvangirai over issues of governance, said they had been vindicated by the recent developments in the MDC-T.

The splinter group accused Tsvangirai of being obsessed with power, hence his “penchant of going against the founding principles and values of the party”.

“The sham congress held by Tsvangirai’s undemocratic faction over the weekend vindicates the MDC-Renewal team as Tsvangirai manipulated it to entrench his ‘Zanufication’ of the party,” the party said.

“It is now clear that Tsvangirai is not a democrat as he has centralised all powers around himself.

“He is now the chief custodian of the party’s name, its assets, its finances, its administration and everything else that defines it.

“It is now very clear that Tsvangirai secretly admires (Zanu PF leader President Robert) Mugabe’s unchecked powers and he used his interaction with him during the power-sharing government as an internship for power-grabbing.”

Political analyst Takura Zhangazha said it was unfortunate that MDC-T had decided to centralise all power in Tsvangirai.

“It’s unfortunate they sought to do that, what they require now are internal democratic processes,” he said.

“It might be convenient for Tsvangirai, but it disempowers key members.”