MDC-M faction splits over Welshman coup

By Never Kadungure (Political Editor)

Professor Welshman Ncube’s political empire appeared to be crumbling 24 hours before a crucial Harare congress was meant to endorse his palace coup over outgoing MDC-M leader Professor Arthur Mutambara.

An internal rebellion is brewing led by members of the powerful national executive. Party chairman Jobert Mudzumwe convened a press conference in Harare on Friday and announced their decision to boycott the congress at the City Sports Centre on Saturday citing violations of the party constitution.

Present at the press conference were members of the national executive including award winning writer Tsitsi Dangarembwa (Secretary for Education), Morgan Changamire (Deputy Organising Secretary), Hilda Sibanda (Women’s Assembly Chairperson), Mudzumwe and National Youth Chairperson Costa Chipadza among others.

Curiously Arthur Mutambara’s personal aide Charles Manyozo was also present at the press conference. While Mutambara’s supporters appeared to have found their voice, the robotics professor chickened out of backing their rebellion. He distanced himself from the rebels and Nehanda Radio understands he actually attended the Ncube congress where he gave his outgoing speech.

Questions were raised as to why if Mutambara knew nothing about the rebellion, what was his personal aide, Manyozo doing at the press conference. The rebels have vowed to hold their own congress, effectively meaning the party, already a faction of the original MDC, will also have its own faction.

Mudzumwe said Mutambara would remain their president while Nomalanga Khumalo would take the vice-president’s post, left vacant after the death of Gibson Sibanda last year. A reluctant Mutambara said he is not interested in any position but Mudzumwe insisted he would remain their president, because a properly constituted congress was yet to be held.

Mudzumwe says Ncube violated the party constitution to seize power. He alleges that Ncube sidelined people who were in the party’s structures and chose sponsored delegates to achieve his objectives. “We don’t want to go to a congress full of sponsored delegates picked from the streets,” he said. Asked by journalists if he was announcing a split, his supporters shouted ‘yes.’ 

Deputy Organising Secretary Morgan Changamire said “every organisation has division of labour but this was not the case in our party . . . I have worked as the deputy organising secretary but, believe me, I have done nothing. Even the chairman has been a prisoner of the people who love power, the president has been a prisoner of people who love power.”

He accused Ncube and his close confidante Deputy Secretary General Priscilla Misihairambwi Mushonga of being the only two people who knew where party funds had gone to.

“Save for two people, the party does not know how much was received or what happened to the money. Generally it’s the treasurer-general who should handle finances but in our case, believe you me, he doesn’t know anything. Everything was handled by the secretary-general and his deputy,” he said.