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| Movement for Democratic Change | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Morgan Tsvangirai |
| Founded | 31 September 1999 |
| Headquarters | 44 Harvest House, Angwa Street/Nelson Mandela Avenue Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Ideology | Social Democracy, Social Liberalism, |
| Official colour(s) | Red, Black |
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is a Zimbabwean political party now split. The mainstream faction Zimbabwe enforces price freeze. is led by Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara leads a break away faction.{{cite web |url=http://www.embassymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=/2007/may/2/zimbabweopp/|title=MacKay Offers Moral Support for Zimbabwe Opposition It was founded in 1999 as an opposition party to the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party led by President Robert Mugabe. The MDC was formed from many members of the broad coalition of civic society groups and individuals that campaigned for a "No" vote in the 2000 Constitutional referendum, in particular the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.
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In February 2000 ZANU-PF organized a constitutional referendum. The proposed change would have limited future presidents to two terms, but as it was not retroactive, Mugabe could have stood for another two terms. It would also have made his government and military officials immune from prosecution for any illegal acts committed while in office. Also, it legalized the confiscation of white-owned land for redistribution to black farmers without compensation. It was defeated, after a low 20% turnout, by a strong urban vote, fuelled by an effective SMS campaign. Mugabe declared that he would "abide by the will of the people". The vote was a surprise to Zanu-PF, and an embarrassment before parliamentary elections due in mid-April. This success fueled a meteoric rise in visibility to the very recently formed MDC.
In the 2000 parliamentary elections, the MDC won 57 of the 120 seats up for election. This marked the first time that an opposition party has achieved more than a handful of seats since the merger of ZANU and ZAPU in 1988. The MDC dominated in most urban centres and Matebeleland. MDC won all seats in the two biggest cities, Harare and Bulawayo and only lost two in Matabeleland.
This election was viewed by international observers from the Commonwealth, Norwegian, and the South African Parliamentary Delegation as not being free and fair. The MDC claimed the elections were rigged citing state sponsored violence and some voter results figures that were unaccounted for. They took the matter to court. Some missions from Mugabe\'s allies such as the SADC observers and the South African Ministerial Observer team held that the election was substantially free and fair. The election is currently being challenged in the Zimbabwean Supreme court, 18 months after the election.
The MDC announced during mid-2004 that it would not participate in any further elections in Zimbabwe, including the 2005 Zimbabwe parliamentary elections until it believed a free and fair vote could take place. However on February 3, 2005, then spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi told a news conference "It is with a heavy heart that the MDC has decided to participate in the elections ... This is a decision based primarily on the demands of our people".MDC men to contest polls with \'heavy hearts\'. Independent Online. Independent News & Media (2005-11-03). Retrieved on 2007-04-01. A meeting of the party\'s decision making national council was called in October 2005 to decide on whether the party should participate in senatorial elections which were imminent. The national council resolved by a vote of 33 to 31 that the party should participate. Morgan Tsvangirai overruled the vote, arguing that it was no use contesting an election where the electoral field "breeds illegitimate outcomes and provides for predetermined results" {{cite web |url= http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Zimbabwe/0,,2-11-1662_1816179,00.html.He argued that the Senate of Zimbabwe was part of the 17th amendment, which the MDC had opposed in Parliament. Tsvangirai stated then that the council was split 50/50 including the proxies sent by members of the National Executive Sekai Holland and Grace Kwinjeh.{{cite web |url= http://www.nehandaradio.com/mutememdc040807.html|title= Putting the MDC split into context.Those who favored participation went on to contest the elections, but lost heavily securing only 5 out of the 60 contested seats. It was reported that some of these candidates were brought into the city by the Central Intelligence Organization and driven to the nomination courts. The National Constitutional Assembly - a coalition of pro-democracy civil society groups, also supported a boycott of the Senate elections, believing it was conceived only as the result of an undemocratic constitutional change. {{cite web |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4381048.stm|title= Split over strategy weakens MDC.
After the senate elections, the MDC split into two groups one led by Morgan Tsvangirai and another by his deputy Gibson Sibanda with the support of Welshman Ncube, Gift Chimanikire and spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi. The pro-senate group had one more member in the house of assembly at the time of the split, however senior members of the Pro Senate faction have since defected to the faction of the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai including its Chairman Gift ChimanikireChimanikire defects. zimbabwejournalists., Blessing Chebundo, the Member of Parliament for Kwekwe, the Environmental Secretary and Binga Member of Parliament Joel Gabuza, and Senate Candidate for Tsholotsho Sam Sipepa Nkomo {{cite web|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-04/2006-04-11-voa66.cfm.http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/story.php?art_id=289&cat=7.
A by-election for Budiriro constituency was held and was won by Emmanuel Chisvuure of the faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai he polled 7949 votes, and Gabriel Chaibva of the Mutambara faction polled 504 votes MDC Tsvangirai proves it is in control. kubatana. the combined votes was less than half of what they had got in previous elections.MDC \'victory\' in Budiriro is disastrous. NewZimbabwe.com.
It is widely believed that the split was a reflection of problems that had been in the party for a while.MDC rift not just about Senate. The Financial Gazette. The Financial Gazette. The Central intelligence Organization has taken advantage of the divisions between the faction to attack member of the other faction You must specify title = and url = when using {{cite web}}...Cracks had also emerged along ethnic lines and between trade unionists and academics.Country of Origin Information Bulletin. Research Development and Statistics (RDS), Home Office. Homeoffice.gov.uk.
The two camps have been making attempt at uniting in order to fight elections as a united front but as of July 2007, no deal has been reached.MDC in-fighting will help Mugabe. Independent Online.
On 3 August 2007 it was widely reported that two officials of the Arthur Mutambara faction had defected to the Tsvangirai faction, a week after talks to reunite the two parties had broken down.
At a media briefing, former Member of Parliament Silas Mangono and Masvingo Province Chairman Shaky Matake said they had defected from the Mutambara faction. [1][2][3]
An opinion poll in 27 September 2007 by the Mass Public Opinion Institute of Zimbabwe found that of the 22% of poll respondents who are supporters of the MDC, 21% backed the MDC faction led Tsvangirai and 1% expressed support for Mutambara\'s faction.
The poll takers acknowledged the survey was conducted mainly in the rural areas, traditionally a ZANU-PF stronghold, because the majority of the population lives there and the survey wanted to be representative of the Zimbabweans populations. It polled 1,202 of eligible voters.Early Poll Gives Zimbabwe Ruling Party An Edge Over Its Opposition. VOA.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) mandated South African President Thabo Mbeki to mediate between ZANU-PF and the MDC in April 2007 to create conditions for free and fair elections for the 2008 polls. Mbeki appointed Sydney Mufamadi, South Africa\'s minister of provincial and local government, and director-general in the presidency, Frank Chikane, as the main mediators in the talks. All parties agreed to refrain from commenting on the progress of the talks in the media. Due to the media silence, it is relatively difficult to judge the progress of these talks, but both parties have agreed to constitutional amendments and the revision of certain key media and security laws. Critics say that these changes are superficial and the mediation seems to have had little impact on a practical level. The MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai has threatened to pull out of the talks if the conditions are not created in which free and fair elections can take place.
Tsvangirai and Mutambara failed to unite on a single MDC candidate for the March 2008 presidential election. Tsvangirai is running for President while Mutambara is backing the independent candidacy of Simba Makoni.Fikile Mapala, "Mutambara withdraws from race, backs Makoni", newzimbabwe.com, February 15, 2008.
Political parties in Zimbabwe  | |
|---|---|
| Ruling party | Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) |
| Opposition | Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)- Zimbabwe African National Union - Ndonga (ZANU-Ndonga) - National Alliance for Good Governance (NAGG)- Zimbabwe People\'s Democratic Party - Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance (ZYA)- International Socialist Organisation (ISO) |
| Defunct Parties | Zimbabwe African People\'s Union (ZAPU) - Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) - Rhodesian Front (RF) |
| Key People | Robert Mugabe (ZANU-PF) - Ndabaningi Sithole (ZANU) - Joshua Nkomo (ZANU) - Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC) |
| Portal:Politics - List of political parties - Politics of Zimbabwe | |
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