MDC in crisis talks
19/10/2005 22:48  - (SA)  

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Mugabe: Opposition irrelevant Mugabe: Opposition irrelevant MDC split over senate polls MDC split over senate polls

Zimbabwe Special Report  Latest Zimbabwe Stories

Harare - Zimbabwe's main opposition movement, which risks a split over whether to contest next month's controversial senate polls, on Wednesday began crisis talks to close ranks, party vice-president Gibson Sibanda said.

Sibanda, who along with the majority of the senior members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) voted in favour of contesting the November 26 polls for the newly created senate, denied, however, there were cracks in the party.

He said he had been summoned to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai's house on Wednesday morning and the two agreed to call an emergency meeting of the MDC's top officials.

Tsvangirai cast a deciding vote on boycotting the elections.

Answering reporters, Sibanda denied speculation that the six-year-old party was on the verge of splitting.

"We are still seeking a solution, there is no question (of splitting), we never said we were going to split and there are no signs of a split, it is simply that there is some differences in issues and the approach to those issues," said Sibanda.

Speculation that the MDC had been riven by divisions and a power struggle gained momentum after party leaders last week issued contradictory statements over its participation in the senate elections.

Threats

Party leader Tsvangirai announced a boycott, but hours later on Wednesday MDC spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi said the party's supreme decision-making organ had voted to take part in the elections.

Sibanda accused Tsvangirai of "wilfully violating the constitution of the MDC" by disregarding results from a vote to decide whether or not the opposition part should contest the senate polls.

"The president himself uttered threats and allowed other office bearers to utter threats against a number of office bearers who had opposed his view that the MDC should not participate in the senate elections," Sibanda said in a statement.

"The president also issued disparaging statements against members of the national council who had voted in favour of participation."

He said the opposition party would not allow "one person or a group of persons" to violate its rules.

Tsvangirai argues against contesting the senate election, saying its creation is an ill-timed and expensive venture amidst the food and economic crisis wracking the country.

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