By Stephen Mpofu
The annulment of the recent party congress has thrown the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) into a period of deep reflection, internal reassessment and urged for urgent calls for unity.
With the congress declared null and void due to constitutional irregularities, the party finds itself without a president, standing committee, or any duly constituted leadership structureś, prompting senior figures to push for negotiations and inclusivity as the only way forward.
According to Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) Chairperson, Gift Chimanikire, several constitutional breaches formed the basis of the annulment.
Chimanikire reaveled that the Madzimaire wing, responsible for initiating key congress processes, was found not to have conducted procedures required ahead of a national gathering. The Mubaiwa Youth wing also failed to meet constitutional demands, leaving the congress without properly constituted delegates.
Prepared by JOMIC, the Draft MDC Agreement for Reconciliation and Party Restructuring outlines the steps needed to fix the constitutional and structural issues raised in the High Court judgment that overturned the 2023 congress.
Additionally, party guidelines on notice periods were violated, and reports emerged that only nine out of twenty-three districts from Hurungwe Province were represented—far below the threshold expected for a legitimate national congress. As a result, every position filled and every decision made at that congress was rendered invalid.
“In other words, the party has no president or any other office holder,” one senior figure explained. “Including us in the standing committee. We were in office, but not constitutional office bearers. You are there physically but not legally”, Chimanikire explained.
A Founder Speaks: “This Party Was Built on Workers’ Sweat”
One of the remaining founding pioneers of the original MDC formed at the height of the workers’ movement in 1999 reminded members that the soul of the party has always been rooted in labour struggles.
“I spent 15 years in Parliament, five as Deputy Minister of Mines, and many years as Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU),” he said, referencing the union that staged the first ever stay-away in Zimbabwe. “This party is a workers’ party. We must never lose sight of that.”
He recalled negotiating party infrastructure with the late Morgan Tsvangirai—including the iconic Harvest House building—purchased for US$27 million. The building, he emphasized, symbolized the hopes of workers who believed the MDC was their voice.
“What happened after Tsvangirai, we began to drift,” he reflected. “We saw leadership struggles, disciplinary conflicts, and decisions that ignored the workers whose sweat built this movement.”
The Case for Renewal Through Inclusion
Central to the renewed push is a proposal to dissolve contested structures and return to the constitutional path through a fresh, transparent congress.
“Why don’t we just step down, dissolve structures, and enter congress?” the senior leader asked. “The agreement we reached does not shut out anyone. Any individual or group that wants to revive the party is welcome.”
The JOMIC chairperson added that the key message emerging is that renewal must not be centered on personalities, but principles. It must not be a race for power, but a return to legitimacy.
A Party Rediscovers Its Reason for Existence
Discontent within party structures is strengthened by electoral frustrations. “When even your polling agent cannot vote for your candidate, it speaks volumes,” he said, highlighting the loss of grassroots confidence.
Chimanikire said Douglas Mwonzora did not sign the document, indicating that his involvement is contingent upon being reinstated and recognized as the party president upon his return to Harvest House.
The call now is for humility in leadership, introspection, and a shared mission to rekindle the MDC’s founding values—solidarity with the worker, service above self, and constitutional democracy.
As negotiations begin, the future of the MDC stands at a decisive junction. Whether the party emerges fractured or renewed depends not only on legal remedies, but on the willingness of its leaders and members to prioritize unity over ambition.