With only two before the MDC-T holds its 5th Ordinary Congress, the party’s deputy president Elias Mudzuri insists that he will not contest for any position. The party’s ordinary congress is set for 18 December 2022.
Mudzuri was reportedly planning to challenge party president Douglas Mwonzora before the latter was in November unanimously nominated as the sole presidential candidate at the party’s 5th Ordinary Congress. In a Twitter post on Thursday, 15 December, Mudzuri said:
Let me reiterate what I stated earlier. I will not stand for any position at the 18 December MDC Congress.
I will only participate in a process where the branches, wards, districts, and provinces are involved by exercising their constitutional right to choose their leaders.
Earlier this month, Mudzuri said that he will not be contesting for any post at the congress citing irregularities in the party’s electoral processes.
Speaking to TellZim News, Mudzuri said he will not leave the party but will remain a card-carrying and loyal member of the party. He said:
I am ashamed of what is happening right now but I cannot run away from the party, I have talked to them and I will continue to talk to them but if they don’t listen, I will remain a card-carrying member as I cannot be part of the leadership which fails to observe the democratic tenets of the party.
I can be nominated for any position in the party and have at some point assumed the leadership of the party as you know when Mr (Morgan) Tsvangirai died, he left me in charge of the party.
Meanwhile, Mwonzora recently dismissed claims that the party carried out a dubious nomination process ahead of the upcoming congress.