Khaliphani Phugeni, Spokesman for Dr Thokozani Khuphe, MDC Acting President, has responded to the meeting held yesterday at harvest house that had members of the 2014 structures.
Phugeni said this meeting was unconstitutional as it was not called by the Secretary General (Mwonzora), after consulting the President (Dr Khupe).
Phugeni said the group is trying to woodwink the MDC leadership while buying time for Chamisa to play further mischief.
On the resolutions, Phugeni said the call for a National Council meeting on the 14th is not valid as a National Council Meeting was already held 2 weeks ago, at which various resolutions were passed, including the recalling of the four MPs and also the future recall of those MPs who do not go along with the Supreme Court ruling.
Phugeni said there is no possibility of the MDC meeting to reject the Supreme Court ruling as it is now law in Zimbabwe.
On whether Dr Khupe was fired from MDC before the death of Morgan Tsvangirai, Phugeni said the meeting that was called to fire her was not properly constituted and could therefore not have fired her.
On whether the decision to Shut out Chamisa from contesting at the extraordinary Congress is not against the call for unity, Phugeni said the same calls for unity were not made when Chamisa took over and kicked out Dr Thokozani Khuphe.
Phugeni said Chamisa was behind the attacks on Dr Khupe at Morgan Tsvangirai ‘s funeral, but there was no investigation into the matter.
MDC 2014 structures that are in support of Chamisa met yesterday and issues the following communique:
Communique of the 2014 National Council held at Morgan Tsvangirai House on 21 May 2020
We the leaders and members who constituted both the National Council and the National Executive of the former MDC before the demise of President Morgan Richard Tsvangirai came together this day and reflected on the following
a) The context of the supreme court judgment
b) Our interpretation of the supreme court judgement
c) The way forward
CONTEXT OF THE SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT
We are extremely concerned that the Supreme Court judgement as been deployed to destroy the people’s struggle and advance the capture of the opposition in Zimbabwe.
We also note that the whole judgment must be viewed in the context of the 2018 election dispute of which Mr Mnangagwa has never rested after being defeated from the poll. The Supreme Court judgement is so absurd for the following reasons.
a) It was handed nicodemously during lockdown
b) There are a few people who knew about the judgement, Khupe, Mwonzora and Komichi in advance.
c) Mwonzora and Komichi gave an address purporting to represent the Party at Supreme Court and seemingly privy to the content of the judgement and the ideal was to bring the verdict to the organs of the Party for determination.
d) What is even bizarre is the interest of state institutions, The Herald and ZBC. The Supreme Court was covered live showing a big hand of the State.
e) Parliament breached lockdown principles to reconvene and illegally recall MDC Alliance MPs on account of a letter written by MDC T. The State abused parliament by reconvening it for purposes of recalling MDC Alliance MPs.
f) We also note that the Supreme Court judgement has been deliberately misinterpreted and extended to mean what it doesn’t more particularly the misbegotten reference to 2014 which nowhere in the judgement.
INTERPRETATION OF THE JUDGEMENT
I. The Supreme Court judgement enjoyed the former MDC to convene an extra ordinary congress within 3 months and further went on to give the former VP Khupe who at the point of Tsvangirai’s demise was no longer a member having ceased attending constitutional meetings in June 2018 to be a member of the Party.
II. The judgement further instructed Morgan Komichi the former vice chairperson of the former MDC to convene the extra ordinary congress in the event of the failure by the former VP. What is bizarre is that SC judgement elevates the former vice chairperson to the position of Chairperson despite that the former Chairperson was Lovemore Moyo and had not told the court that he was unable to execute his duties.
III. We fundamentally disagree with the SC decision for the following reasons.
a) It is calling an extraordinary congress where the need for an extra ordinary congress does not exist anymore. President Tsvangirai died on the 14th February 2018 and the acting leader was supposed to act for one year to February 2019 and the next congress was due in October 2019. As such no court can rewrite the rules of a voluntary association.
b) The terms of all office bearers’ and organs of the former MDC mandate expired in October 2019 and it cannot be revived without condonation and authority of the membership.
c) The judgement does not specify the structure that is going to implement the legacy and historical issues and the term of office of the so elected president at the extra ordinary congress.
d) We have also seen that the former SG of the former MDC is now unilaterally,vindictively and against the rule of law abusing the SC judgement usurping the powers of the lawful organs now writing to parliament ,minister of local government, for the avoidance of doubt all the recalls are not bind by lawfulness therefore null and void.
e) The former MDC congress should have 6000 delegates and for it to be legal its quorum should be two thirds and it is impossible to attain the same without the agreement and cooperation of the majority of members.
WAY FORWARD
I. We the leaders of the former national Council of the former MDC resolved in terms of the constitution to petition the former National Standing Committee members including Komichi and Mwonzora to facilitate a National Council Meeting within 14 days on the 6th of June to respond to the Supreme Court judgement at a venue that achieves compliance with COVID lockdown regulations.
II. Resolved to stop Mwonzora, Komichi and Khupe to act on behalf of the former MDC and its organs prior to the said meeting of 6th June.
III. Mwonzora has acted illegally by recalling MPs of another party, MDC Alliance without the authority or resolution of the lawful organs of the former MDC.
IV. The purported July 31 date of the extraordinary congress is illegal and invalid because it was done unilaterally and against the constitution of the former MDC.
