Press Statement by the Guardians’ Council of the Movement for Democratic Change
Courtney Hotel, Harare
Thursday, 22 May, 2014
The Guardians’ Council of the MDC met in Harare over the past two days to deliberate on a wide range of matters affecting the party.
In terms of the Constitution, the role of the Guardians’ Council is:
a. To offer advice and wisdom to the national leadership of the party including the National Executive and the National Council
b. To perform and/or carry out any such functions which the National Council may from time to time delegate to it, which may include investigations, arbitration and reconciliation in disputes within the party structures and/or among members
The Guardians’ Council wishes to categorically state that it was never involved in the planning, convening, organizing and conduct of the meeting that was held at Mandel and dissociates itself from all the resolutions of that meeting.
The Council resolved to condemn the resort to violence as a means of resolving political disputes and that those in the violence should be brought to book. This is in line with the values and principles of the party as contained in the party constitution.
In line with its Constitutional mandate, the Guardians’ Council further resolved to explore effective strategies designed to ensure that a conducive environment is created within the party at all levels to facilitate dialogue.
The Party must once again become one united, strong and effective organization capable of winning the next election. In that regard, it must be bound by its founding values and principles of solidarity, democracy, fairness, transparency and accountability.
