THE Welshman Ncube-led opposition MDC suffered another blow yesterday following the resignation of its local government secretary Lionel De Necker, who described the party as having “slid backwards from a symbol of hope to a desperate state”.
BY NQOBILE BHEBHE
De Necker , who once served as Gwanda mayor and sat in the party’s national executive council (NEC), said the MDC had been engulfed by a “cancer” that is threatening to destroy it.
In a two-page letter dated September 11 and addressed to Ncube, De Necker said the opposition party was “on a speedy lane to nowhere”.
“As I bid farewell, I wish to express my disappointment at the way the party has slid backwards from a symbol of hope to a desperate state and yet continues, at least at leadership level, to pretend that all is well,” said De Necker in his letter, which was copied to secretary-general Moses Mzila-Ndlovu.
“While many comrades remain in the party murmuring tunes of discontent in the shadows and precluded by respect and fear from telling the truth, I feel that would be a great disservice to you and the party if I do not highlight the cancer eating away the movement from inside and threatening to engulf it absolutely,” he said.
De Necker said MDC’s NEC “does not meet regularly and, as such, national leaders are not being formally consulted in areas of critical decisions, meeting only when it is needed to endorse already completed processes such as reunification”.
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“The party has not been able to reach out to the grassroots ever since the mauling it received in the elections of July 2013 save for the informal conversations amongst a few provincial members and some national leaders on social media effectively rendering the party a WhatsApp movement divorced from the reality of our people.
“The party, especially at leadership level, seems to be in denial that it is on a speedy lane to nowhere and appears bent on this make-believe behaviour where we say loads but do nothing in equal measure,” he told Ncube.
MDC spokesperson Kurauone Chihwayi confirmed De Necker’s departure saying it would not have any effect on the party’s performance. “Yes, it’s true that Lionel De Necker resigned, but his departure did not leave a void in the party. The MDC is too strong and too busy to concentrate on the departure of one or two people who believe they are more important than others.
“We have enough super substitutes that are too sharp to produce the required goals,” Chihwayi said.
He said De Necker’s departure was long expected.
“His departure did not come as a surprise since we know the whole intention behind the stage-managed resignations. The MDC will never be derailed by hunters and gatherers who move from one hunting zone to the other in search of red meat. The party is on very firm ground and raring to go,” he said.
The former Gwanda mayor said MDC “can only make meaningful contribution to change Zimbabwe if it approaches conversations with other political parties with an open mind and honesty”.
In recent months, MDC has been rocked by resignations of senior members.
Other senior party member who have left in a huff include former spokespersons Joshua Mhambi and Nhlanhla Dube, former director for policy and planning Qhubani Moyo, former chairperson Goodrich Chimbaira and his deputy Frank Chamunorwa, former secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and ex-treasurer Paul Themba Nyathi.
