Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Douglas Mwonzora has accused the judiciary of attempting to destabilise his party following its ‘vocal’ opposition to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s alleged bid for a third term.
Mwonzora claimed a recent High Court judgment nullifying the MDC’s 2022 congress was a calculated move to render the party leaderless and undermine its stance against constitutional amendments that could extend President Mnangagwa’s rule beyond 2028.
His remarks come amid growing political tensions in Zimbabwe, with opposition parties, civil society organisations and war veterans expressing concern over the proposed extension of presidential term limits.
READ: https://cite.org.zw/promises-unkept-progress-stalled-mnangagwas-2030-term-bid-rejected/
Addressing a press conference in Bulawayo on Sunday, Mwonzora asserted that his party has been at the forefront of the fight against the “2030 agenda,” which seeks to prolong Mnangagwa’s presidency.
“It was the MDC which held a press conference in Harare in January this year to announce its opposition to the machinations of Zanu PF in trying to give President Mnangagwa a third term. We were then joined by other political parties, civil society organisations, the church was very strong and war veterans who are very strong on that point,” Mwonzora said.
“It was not the war veterans who started the fight against the 2030, it was the MDC. We may be saying it in different words and agendas may also be different but our agenda as the MDC is that we are against the desecration of our constitution.”
The MDC leader said the decision to nullify its 2022 congress by High Court judge, Justice Hapias Zhou was politically motivated and highlighted his party’s role in leading the fight against the “2030 agenda.”
“Strangely, after making our opposition to the third term very clear, we were hit by a judgement by Justice Zhou that nullified our 2022 congress. I think it was an attempt to make the MDC leaderless or to get into camps,” he said.
The High Court judgment cited two main reasons for nullifying the con, which were MDC provided 24 days’ notice instead of the required 30 days and that the women’s congress was not concluded.
Mwonzora dismissed these grounds as minor technicalities, pointing out the MDC has historically deferred certain aspects of its congresses without invalidating the entire process.
“At the very inaugural congress, the youth were unable to do a proper election, and we had to defer the congress to another day. Similarly, there was a fight for the women’s assembly seat between Lucia Matibenga and Theresa Makoni, and the congress had to be deferred and done at a later stage. We saw no basis for this judgment,” he said.
Mwonzora added the MDC has appealed the decision at the Supreme Court, which has the effect of suspending the judgment.
“Even if we had not appealed, this judgment does not affect anything. In fact, it restores the leadership as elected at the extraordinary congress, and I remain the leader. Whoever did the math did not calculate well because they left me in charge again,” he stated.
Mwonzora suggested the timing of the judgment raised suspicions of state interference, noting the case was lodged in 2022 but remained dormant until 2025, coinciding with the MDC’s public opposition to Mnangagwa’s third-term bid.
“We can’t say for sure, but a series of coincidences point to the hand of the state. This judgment is very unsound and illogical. The court case was lodged in 2022, nothing was done in 2023 and in 2024, coincidentally when we raised the issue of our opposition to the third term. There is a direct coincidence that is strange and leads us to conclude that there is a third hand,” said the MDC leader.
He also argued the judgment was designed to destabilise the MDC but expressed confidence that it had failed to achieve its intended purpose.
“We are happy that it has not destabilised us,” Mwonzora said and sought to clarify misconceptions about the implications of the judgment.
He debunked claims that it reinstated individuals who had been fired from the MDC or restored Engineer Elias Mudzuri as vice president.
“The judgment does not reinstate people who were fired from the MDC. It also does not restore Mudzuri as vice president. In fact, the judgment says the national council cannot sit as a continuation of congress. Mudzuri was elected vice president after the extraordinary congress by the national council,” Mwonzora explained.
He revealed the MDC has made efforts to engage Mudzuri and his group, appointing a team led by Gift Chimanikire to initiate dialogue.
“We are waiting for them. The MDC is willing to engage with other political forces. Our door is open, but we must be bound by certain values – freedom, justice, equality, and solidarity. These are the social democratic values that must bind us,” Mwonzora said.
Mwonzora reiterated the MDC’s strong opposition to any attempts to extend Mnangagwa’s presidency beyond the constitutional limit of two terms.
“Our constitution is very clear that a person will run the affairs of the country for a maximum of 10 years, after which they must go home. On that point, we put the government on notice and the people of Zimbabwe on notice that, as the MDC, we are going to vote no in a referendum,” Mwonzora declared.
