Chamisa named Tsvangirai’s successor

By Fungi Kwaramba

Zimbabwe’s main opposition yesterday named Nelson Chamisa to succeed Morgan Tsvangirai who died in South Africa on Wednesday, but some within the opposition rejected the choice.

Chamisa, 40, was chosen to lead the country’s largest opposition party, which was thrown into crisis by the death of the former prime minister, who had been battling against colon cancer. Tsvangirai’s death sparked an outpouring of grief yesterday that was fervent and widespread.

There were tears, wailing and fists beaten against the pavement outside the party headquarters Harvest House.

Men and women were swept along on a wave of uncontrollable hysteria.

“Why Save, why?” said one woman as she wiped away the tears.

Tsvangirai’s career was marked by bravery and a long political struggle against former President Robert Mugabe.

The decision to enthrone Chamisa was made by the national council -—the MDC’s highest decision making body in between congresses.

Of the 215 members in the national council, 190 attended the emotive meeting.

“Chamisa has been appointed to act in place of … Tsvangirai for a period of 12 months which is in line with the constitution of the party, so he is the president of the party,” vice national chairperson Morgen Komichi told reporters.

Vice president Elias Mudzuri said he did not accept the process which led to the choice of Chamisa as leader.

The national council also resolved to put all communication in the hands of the late prime minister’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka.

Moments later, Chamisa told thousands who gathered outside the party’s Harvest House HQ, that he was ready to finish the race that Tsvangirai began in 1999 when he formed the MDC.

“He is the people’s hero. He is the only one who taught Mugabe defeat. He taught Zimbabwe democracy and he taught Zanu that the opposition does not mean regime change. We will take it from where he left and carry the fight forward.

“As people who worked with the president, we will carry the torch and this year we are getting into government. You heard that I am the one who is acting president from the national council,” Chamisa said.

The MDC acting president called for the party to close ranks to preserve the legacy of the late towering MDC leader. He was apparently referring to deputy presidents Thokozani Khupe and Mudzuri who both snubbed the crunch national council meeting. Mudzuri was said to be at the fallen MDC leader’s Highlands home where there was talk of a press conference.

“I want us to work together and I will tell Mudzuri to come tidzure Zanu, I will also tell mai Khupe kuti huyai tikupe Zanu. We cannot all lead but we have to work as a family that has been left by …Tsvangirai. We want to give Tsvangirai a tribute he deserves. We are going to engage the family and then decide what to do,” Chamisa said. While the family has been leaning towards Mudzuri, Chamisa said the former prime minister is “a people’s hero, who will be buried by people.”

“Death does not mean that he is no longer our leader,” Chamisa said.

Although Mudzuri had wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter early yesterday morning that the party leadership was supposed to meet at Tsvangirai’s residence, only three namely Obert Gutu, Douglas Mwonzora and Theresa Makone, who are all members of the 15-member standing committee, heeded his call. Chamisa told reporters that the national council meeting was meant to clear the confusion in “the cockpit over who was supposed to be acting president.”

“We wanted to reduce the noise. As a party, we pledge to shelve our fallacious differences and give this national hero a befitting send-off. President Tsvangirai deserves a resemblance of his true character; a character of peace, camaraderie, team spirit and consensus,” said Chamisa.

When asked why Mudzuri and Khupe were not in attendance, Chamisa said, “your guess is as good as mine.”

“The two had been informed of the meeting,” Chamisa said. DailyNews