Chamisa afraid move to fire Mudzuri could backfire

Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa has to be extremely cautious about the way he handles pressure to fire his deputy Elias Mudzuri because this could backfire and end up with him being deposed from the party leadership.

The party’s national council met on Saturday and agreed that Mudzuri’s case must be dealt with by the presidium which comprises Chamisa, Mudzuri himself, Morgen Komichi, Welshman Ncube and Thabitha Khumalo.

Newsday today said the move to fire Mudzuri was one of the items on the agenda but this failed because the national executive stayed away.

Party spokesman Jacob Mafume refuted this saying “the Mudzuri issue is a footnote in the greater scheme of things”.

Newsday, which is normally sympathetic to Chamisa, however, said Chamisa stopped his supporters from pushing for a council vote to expel Mudzuri “because he is scared of a counter vote”.

“If he pushes for the vote and fails, then there is a real possibility that if the numbers are two-thirds against the motion to expel either Mudzuri or Mwonzora, this could immediately be turned against him. Someone could just stand up and call for a vote to remove the president. That is a distinct possibility,” the paper said.

Mudzuri (61) is under fire for apologising to Chief Justice Luke Malaba after party legislators booed him when he came to Parliament to swear in Speaker Jacob Mudenda.

He also attended a ceremony where senior officers of Parliament presented themselves to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House as required by law.

Mudzuri is leader of the opposition in the Senate.

The MDC does not recognise Mnangagwa claiming that its leader won the 30 July elections though he lost the case at the country’s highest court, the Constitutional Court.

Mudzuri was appointed vice-president by late party leader Morgan Tsvangirai at the same time as Chamisa. He was national organising secretary of the party before handing over to Chamisa.

He was also the executive mayor of Harare for a year. He was elected for a four-year-term in 2002 but clashed with then Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo who fired him and replaced him with an appointee.

Mudzuri was Minister of Energy in the inclusive government.

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