Movement for Democratic Change (2018)

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Not to be confused with Movement for Democratic Change (1999–2005) or Movement for Democratic Change Alliance.

Movement for Democratic Change
PresidentNelson Chamisa
Chairperson
Secretary-General
Vice-presidentsWelshman Ncube

Tendai Biti
Vice chairpersonJob Sikhala
Deputy secretary-general
Founded2018
Merger ofMDC–N
MDC–T
PDP
IdeologySocial democracy
Democratic socialism
Pan-Africanism
Left-wing nationalism
Political positionCentre-left
International affiliationProgressive Alliance[1]
Colours      Red, black and green
National Assembly
89 / 270
Senate
25 / 80
Pan-African Parliament
3 / 5
Party flag
Flag of the Movement for Democratic Change.svg
Website
https://www.mdcallianceparty.org/

The Movement for Democratic Change is a Zimbabwean opposition party formed in 2018 as a merger between various groups that had previously split, including Movement for Democratic Change – Ncube (MDC–N), the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC–T).[2]

History[]

Following MDC–T President Morgan Tsvangirai's death in February 2018, co-vice president of the party Nelson Chamisa became the party's President. Tsvangirai had instructed Chamisa to lead the party upon his death and to bring back Welshman Ncube, President of the splinter party MDC–N, and Tendai Biti, President of the splinter party PDP, as part of the party's leadership. Chamisa agreed, despite being reluctant knowing that co-vice president and presidential contender Thokozani Khuphe would protest this outcome.[3] Upon Chamisa's victory in the leadership contest, Khuphe announced in March that she was leaving the party and establishing a splinter party which would retain the MDC–T name and logos, which resulted in a legal battle.[4]

In the July 2018 election, Chamisa, Ncube and Biti contested together as the MDC Alliance, while Khuphe contested as the much smaller MDC–T (Khupe). In September, Chamisa appointed Ncube and Biti to become part of his leadership, at the same time as renaming his party to simply the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). This effectively dissolved the MDC–N and PDP.[5]

Ideology[]

The MDC is usually considered a moderate social democratic movement but contains various political factions adhering to different ideas, some of which began as scattered opposition movements to the ZANU-PF under Mugabe. As such the party can also be considered a big tent movement. Like its predecessors, the MDC supports economic recovery, anti-corruption, reform and political openness in Zimbabwe. It also supports reform to ensure the country regains legitimacy on the international stage. The party calls for free and fair elections under international supervision and wants to break what it calls the "betrayal of the people" and "vicious cycle" of elections which the party says have "arrested Zimbabwe for four decades."[6]

References[]

  1. ^ "Parties & Organisations of the Progressive Alliance". progressive-alliance.info. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  2. ^ Lex Vambe (11 September 2018). "Chamisa names Ncube, Komichi as deputies, MDC re-unites". PaZimbabwe. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  3. ^ "Tsvangirai Told Me To Lead MDC- Chamisa ⋆ Pindula News". Pindula News. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Zimbabwe: Chamisa 'forced to register MDC Alliance as a political party amid squabbles'". News24. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  5. ^ "MDC's Chamisa makes sweeping leadership changes - report". News24. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  6. ^ https://www.mdcallianceparty.org/policies/
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