Biti expelled from MDC, MPs withdrawn from Parliament

The secretary-general of the Movement for Democratic Change Tendai Biti who led a faction that suspended party leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Saturday was today expelled from the party and all the Members of Parliament and a senator who attended Biti’s meeting will be withdrawn from parliament.

This was decided at a national council meeting at the party headquarters at Harvest House today. Tapiwa Mashakada was appointed acting secretary-general.

A statement issued after the meeting said Biti and Solomon Madzore, one of the legislators, had effectively formed their own party and had therefore expelled themselves.

The legislators who will be withdrawn are:

• Tendai Biti, Harare East
• Solomon Madzore, Dzivaresekwa
• Paul Madzore, Glen View South
• Moses Manyengavana, Highfield west
• Willas Madzimure, Kambuzuma
• Samuel Siphepha Nkomo, Lobengula
• Bekithemba Nyathi, Pelandaba Mpopoma
• Evelyn Masaiti, Proportional representation
• Sen Watchy Sibanda, Mat. South
• Settlement Chikwinya, Mbizo
• Reggie, Moyo, Luveve

The expulsion of Biti and company seems to have opened battle lines within the party and could see a showdown between Biti and Tsvangirai.

Tuesday, 29 April 2014

National Council Resolutions,Harvest House, Harare, 29 April 2014

The MDC National Executive and subsequently the party’s supreme decision-making body outside Congress, the National Council, today met here at the party headquarters, Harvest House, to deliberate on the state of the party and came up with the following resolutions pertaining to developments in the party.

The illegal Mandel meeting
The national council acknowledged that Tendai Biti and others who attended the unconstitutional Mandel meeting have expelled themselves. The national council thanked them for the many years of service in the movement and wished them well in their new political endeavours. In light of the above, the national Council noted that the meeting was, Illegal, unconstitutional, illegitimate AND BOGUS. The national Council affirmed that its resolutions are not binding and of no effect on the MDC-T party and its leadership. Therefore:

The unconstitutional Mandel meeting
The national council noted the attempted coup by Tendai Biti and group at a meeting held at Mandel training centre on the 26th of April 2014. The meeting was illegal, unconstitutional and illegitimate and bogus. The national council reaffirms that its resolutions are therefore not binding and are of no effect on the party and the party leadership.

On Tendai Biti and team
Tendai Biti, Solomon Madzore, and others having formed their own party have in terms of article 5.10.(a) , ceased to be members of the MDC T party. In addition and alternatively, the said persons have been summarily dismissed in terms of article 12 as read together with Article 5. 11. (A).

MPs withrawn from Parliament
Consequently, in line with section 129(1) (k) of the national constitution, the MDC(T) MPs who participated at the Mandel meeting will be withdrawn from parliament. For the avoidance of doubt, the members being withdrawn are:

Hon. Tendai Biti, Harare East
Hon. Solomon Madzore, Dzivarisekwa
Hon. Paul Madzore, Glen View South
Hon. Moses Manyengavana, Highfield west
Hon. Willas Madzimure, Kambuzuma
Hon. Samuel Siphepha Nkomo, Lobengula
Hon. Bekithemba Nyathi, Pelandaba Mpopoma
Hon. Evelyn Masaiti, Proportional representation
Sen. Watchy Sibanda, Mat. South
Hon. Settlement Chikwinya, Mbizo
Hon. Reggie, Moyo, Luveve

National Standing Committee composition
Following the latest developments, the National Council made the following changes to the composition of the National Standing Committee pending Congress: Hon Dr Tapiwa Mashakada,Acting SG, Theresa Makone, Acting Deputy Treasurer General and Costa Machingauta Acting National Youth Chairperson.

Mandate to defend and transact on behalf of the party
The National Council, further mandated the MDC leadership led by Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai and comprising Hon Thokozani Khupe, Mr Lovemore Moyo, Sen. Morgan Komichi, Hon Dr Tapiwa Mashakada, Hon Nelson Chamisa, Hon. Abedinico Bhebhe, Mr Douglas Mwonzora and Mrs Theresa Makone to take all the necessary steps aimed at defending and protecting the good name and interests of our party.

An early Congress in October and re-energizing the organization
In-order to transform and revitalize the party, the Council mandated the Standing Committee to kick-start the process of organizational and institutional reform leading to an early Congress in October 2014 instead of 2016. In the meantime, the Congress and internal democratic processes will commence soon.

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