WARSHIP Dumba, leader of a disgruntled group of former MDC activists fiercely opposed to current leader Nelson Chamisa’s leadership, has urged ex-MDC secretary general Douglas Mwonzora to call for a party extra-ordinary congress which will choose leaders of the main opposition as directed by the High Court recently.
In her ruling, Justice Edith Mushore declared as invalid, Chamisa’s leadership of MDC, his initial appointment 2016 by then party president Morgan Tsvangirai (now late) as co-vice president and decisions Chamisa went on to make in his capacity as party leader.
Purportedly speaking on behalf of the Thokozani Khupe led MDC, Dumba, who fronts the group that calls itself In Defence of Morgan Tsvangirai Legacy (DMTL), said the party has set 27 July as the date for the extra-ordinary congress ordered by the High Court.
“Chamisa is corrupt, violent and his lawless cabal and we congratulate them for forming their new party,” Dumba said while referring to the just ended MDC congress that reinstalled the 41-year-old politician as substantive party leader.
In her recent ruling, Justice Mushore ordered MDC to revert back to its 2014 structures and call for an extra-ordinary congress as per party constitution to properly choose Tsvangirai’s replacement, among other positions.
This was after a Gokwe based MDC activist went to court to challenge the manner in which Chamisa rose to the helm of the MDC on the news of then Tsvangirai’s death February last year.
Chamisa has since filed an appeal against the ruling and went on to proceed with his elective congress which installed him as party leader.
Dumba poured scorn on the MDC congress saying they now expected their secretary general Douglas Mwonzora to start activating processes that will lead to the extra-ordinary congress as ordered by the courts.
“The 2014 MDC-T structures met 23rd May and agreed on a provisional date and that we should go back and mobilise our supporters about the extra ordinary congress,” said Dumba.
“We are following the High Court ruling early this month and we will not be stopped by any illegal activity that followed thereafter such as the Nelson Chamisa led meeting he had in Gweru over the weekend.
“We are still deliberating on the venue.”
Dumba said Mwonzora, the party secretary general elected 2014, was obliged to follow the court ruling.
“Mwonzora is a respected lawyer and our secretary general and we expect him to start the process,” Dumba said of a party politician who lost his bid to be re-elected secretary general of the Chamisa led MDC.
“The fact that he attended a gathering in Gweru, it was a gathering of MDC-Alliance, which contested in last year’s general elections, and probably they had something to discuss there.
“No amount of arrogance from those who have chosen dictatorship will stop us from doing what is right.
“Letting Chamisa and his cabal get away with it would prove to be a very bad precedence in future for our beautiful country.” – NewZim
