Shock as Mwonzora beats Chamisa

HARARE – Nelson Chamisa, who has been MDC-T organising secretary, is now out of the party’s supreme decision making body, the standing committee.

Chamisa had contested against Douglas Mwonzora, the outgoing information secretary, for the secretary general’s post at the just ended MDC-T national congress.

The congress, initially scheduled for 2016, was pushed two years back to deal with rising instability in the party following a breakaway that former secretary general, Tendai Biti led earlier this year.

Biti now leads a new formation calling itself the Renewal team which accuses MDC-T boss, Morgan Tsvangirai, of leadership failure.

Chamisa’s defeat by Mwonzora has surprised many, considering that the latter struggled to get nominations ahead of the congress.

The results of the congress elections to choose the standing committee are as follows

President: Morgan Tsvangirai (Retained)

Vice President: Thokozani Khupe (Retained)

Chairman: Lovemore Moyo (Retained)

Vice Chairman: Morgan Komichi (Retained)

Secretary General: Douglas Mwonzwora

Vice Secretary General: Paurina Mupariwa

Treasurer General: Theresa Makone

Deputy Treasurer: Charlton Hwende

Organizing Secretary: Abednico Bhebhe

Deputy Organizer: Thamsaqa Mahlangu

Information Secretary: Obert Gutu

Deputy Info Sec: Thabitha Khumalo

Youth Assembly Chair: Happymore Chidziva

Women Assembly Chair: Lynette Kore

Tsvangirai, besides retaining his post uncontested, scored another victory when the congress concentrated more powers in him.

Congress resolved to change party the constitution to allow Tsvangirai to be the custodian of the party name and party assets and to supervise the whole party leadership.

He will also become the party’s chief fundraiser and would be able to suspend national standing committee members.

This has whittled the powers of the secretary general. The Zimbabwean