Movement for Democratic Change deputy treasurer, Elton Mangoma, one of the top MDC officials to publicly call on party leader Morgan Tsvangirai to step down to save the party, was assaulted by party activists outside the party headquarters today after attending a meeting of district chairpersons. It was not clear why Mangoma was assaulted because the 210 district chairpersons had endorsed Tsvangirai as party leader. This was a clear demonstration of the culture of intolerance that has bedevilled Zimbabwean politics. Talk about succession is taboo in the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front which has been led by Robert Mugabe since 1977. This now seems to have spread to the MDC which has been led by Tsvangirai since its formation in 1999. Party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora said Tsvangirai was likely to be the party’s presidential candidate in the 2018 elections. Tsvangirai’s current term as president of the party expires in 2016. The party had to amend its constitution to allow him to stand for another term. Those calling on him to step down say Tsvangirai has already been in power too long- 15 years and has failed to beat Mugabe on three occasions.
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