79-571: The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance is an electoral coalition of seven political parties formed to contest Zimbabwe's 2018 general election. After the 2018 election, a dispute arose over the use of the name MDC Alliance leading the MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to found the Citizens Coalition for Change. Three of the member parties were splinters from the original Movement for Democratic Change and each other. The bloc
158-436: A National Command Centre over a period of over a month without the presence of independent observers. The election process that followed was marred by more violence against and intimidation of voters and party workers. Morgan Tsvangirai initially stated he intended to contest the second round but pulled out of the runoff saying a free and fair election was impossible in the current climate. The elections were held on 27 June with
237-435: A Zimbabwean political party is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Movement for Democratic Change (prior to 2005) The Movement for Democratic Change ( MDC ) was a Zimbabwean political party organised under the leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai . The MDC was formed in 1999 as an opposition party to President Robert Mugabe 's Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF). The MDC
316-582: A company called MineTech , which gained lucrative mine-clearing contracts from the Zimbabwe government via Mnangagwa. MineTech has now relocated to Wiltshire in England and has linked up with the British company Exploration Logistics which is headed by Alastair Morrison OBE, MC. Morrison, a former 2 i/c of 22 SAS, has very close links with British intelligence. It would appear that Mnangagwa, who worked for
395-627: A difficult power-sharing deal with the Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC). ZANU-PF then won the 2013 election , gaining a two-thirds majority. The party narrowly held their super-majority in the 2018 election . On 19 November 2017, following a coup d'état , ZANU–PF sacked Robert Mugabe as party leader, who resigned two days later, and appointed former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa in his place. The first militant African nationalist organisation in Southern Rhodesia
474-495: A faction desiring an Ndebele president, Secretary General Welshman Ncube (now Secretary General of the Mutambara led Movement for Democratic Change) to replace Tsvangirai, as well as rumors of tribal prejudice on the other side. David Coltart however, claimed that people who believed this "are being deliberately mischievous or simply do not understand basic political reality in Zimbabwe" There were still however, some within
553-593: A letter written by the Deputy Secretary General ordering the selection of candidates, and that he had instructed the party secretariat to re-employ Nhamo Musekiwa and Washington Gaga . Another letter was written to Tsvangirai on the same day, indicating that he had been suspended from office by the National Disciplinary Committee, while he maintained the right to appeal the decision. Tsvangirai claimed in response that
632-574: A military coup in Zimbabwe resulted in President Robert Mugabe being placed under house arrest and led to speculation over whether Grace Mugabe or Emmerson Mnangagwa would succeed him as leader of the party. Following the 2017 Zimbabwe coup, ZANU–PF voted to depose Robert Mugabe as party leader and install the banished Emmerson Mnangagwa as leader instead. Before the Zimbabwean parliament could vote to impeach Mugabe, he resigned from
711-528: A multiracial cooperative outside Salisbury, where he formed a new organisation, the People's Caretaker Council (PCP), to replace ZAPU, which was still banned. To preempt ZANU's growth, Nkomo took steps to solidify his hold on the masses, replacing ZAPU's existing centralised structure with a larger number of new, smaller branches. In the ZAPU–ZANU split, most of Nkomo's longtime allies who had been with him since
790-407: A new land redistribution law." In addition to land reform, Sithole pledged that "A bill of rights would be entrenched in the constitution guaranteeing the rights and freedom of every citizen." Sithole told the reporters that ZANU was "nonracial" and would accommodate "people who share a common destiny and democratic rule by the majority, regardless of race, colour, creed, or tribe." ZANU's platform
869-457: A new unity accord. We are saying ‘no’ to unity accord number two. With us there is no unity accord....we will not do what Nkomo did." Tsvangirai expelled supporters of the Senate from his party, and sought to nullify the charges and proceedings instituted against him by Gibson Sibanda by convening another National Council. The majority of major civic groups continued to support Tsvangirai, calling
SECTION 10
#1732772915742948-529: A news conference, "It is with a heavy heart that the MDC has decided to participate in the elections ... This is a decision based primarily on the demands of our people". The MDC's top six were unable to agree on the issue, and so the debate went down to the MDC National Council on October 12. They voted 33-31 in favor of contesting the election (with two spoiled papers). However, Morgan Tsvangirai told
1027-458: A single candidate, Robert Mugabe, who was re-elected. Many blame ZANU–PF for neglecting to deal with Zimbabwe's problem with the mounting 2008 Zimbabwean cholera outbreak , which by the start of December 2008 had already killed between 500 and 3,000 people. Former President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki facilitated, under the auspices of Southern African Development Community (SADC), a Zimbabwean Government of National Unity between ZANU–PF,
1106-537: A stone-throwing mob of Nkomo supporters. By 14 August, both Sithole and Nkomo were calling for an end the violence in the African press, to little effect. Nkomo blamed the violence on ZANU supporters, arguing that his followers were using "self-defence against a group of power-hungry people who have failed to gain public support." Sithole likewise claimed that his supporters were not the instigators, stating that he had "a group of well-disciplined officials who can control
1185-605: Is a member of the Former Liberation Movements of Southern Africa , an association of six socialist political parties that were involved in the nationalist and anti-colonialist movements of Southern Africa . ZANU–PF was previously affiliated with the Socialist International (SI), having sent representatives with guest status to the SI congresses in 1980, 1992, and 1996, and was present at
1264-473: Is common cause that they were unemployed and it is equally clear that they had access to substantial funding. That money must have come from people with access to resources. The instructions to act must have come from people within the Party as no one else would have the detailed knowledge the youths had access to. In expelling the youths and relatively low ranking members of the security team we have only dealt with
1343-483: The 2023 Zimbabwean general election . Officially, ZANU–PF has a leftist ideology. The party maintains a Politburo and a Central Committee. Mugabe pursued a more left-wing populist policy on the issue of land redistribution in 2000s, encouraging seizure of commercial farms—usually owned by Zimbabwe's white minority—"for the benefit of landless black majority". The inauguration speech of President Mnangagwa threw this program's support into question since he said that
1422-695: The Chinese -backed ZANU led by Robert Mugabe, which operated mainly from neighboring Mozambique . Both movements contributed to their respective military forces. ZAPU's military wing was known as the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) and ZANU's guerrillas were known as the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army . The objective of the PF was to overthrow the predominantly white minority government, headed by
1501-414: The Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change – Mutambara . In 2014, a battle between Vice President Joice Mujuru and Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa , and possibly First Lady Grace Mugabe , began over the succession to President Robert Mugabe . An elective congress was scheduled for December 2014, in which ZANU–PF would elect members to fill vacancies in
1580-575: The Ndebele people and ZANU drawing its base largely from the Shona people . Compared to ZAPU, ZANU branded itself as taking a more confrontational approach to white-minority rule, while portraying Nkomo as weak, indecisive, and insufficiently revolutionary. ZANU messaging downplayed ethnicity as a factor in the divisions within the nationalist movement, instead highlighting strategic and ideological differences. By contrast, Nkomo pointed to tribalism as
1659-671: The Prime Minister Ian Smith , through political pressure and military force. Their common goal was achieved in 1980, following the Lancaster House Agreement of December 1979, when the United Kingdom granted independence to Zimbabwe following a brief period of direct British control. During the 1980 general election campaign, the PF parties competed separately as ZANU–Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) and Patriotic Front–ZAPU (PF–ZAPU). The election
SECTION 20
#17327729157421738-565: The Senate of Zimbabwe was part of the 17th amendment, which the MDC had opposed in Parliament. "Well you have voted, and you have voted to participate, which as you know is against my own wish. In the circumstances I can no longer continue……No I cannot let you participate in this senate election when I believe that it is against the best interests of the party. I am President of this party. I am therefore going out of this and (will) announce to
1817-448: The "government is committed to work on a compensation plan for former land owners." The compulsory acquisition of commercial farmland without compensation was discontinued in early 2018. In 2018, Mnangagwa stated that "all foreign investments will be safe in Zimbabwe" and called for "increased production and capacity and new investment in the country." The ZANU–PF constitution establishes a hierarchical party structure consisting of: (1)
1896-627: The 1960s were characterised by internal rivalries and disputes over strategy. Divisions within ZAPU came to a head in April 1963 when Nkomo called a meeting of the party's executive in Dar es Salaam , where he had gone after ZAPU was banned in late 1962. The main criticisms of Nkomo were directed against his initial support of Southern Rhodesia's 1961 constitution (a position he later reversed), his extensive foreign travel in pursuit of international support for
1975-518: The American NSA while on the DARE, has now transferred his allegiance. Mnangagwa has substantial property investments in England through front companies. Zimbabwe African National Union %E2%80%93 Patriotic Front The Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front ( ZANU–PF ) is a political organisation which has been the ruling party of Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. The party
2054-749: The CYL's principle of " one man, one vote " and elected Joshua Nkomo as its president. The SRANC, which demanded African majority rule, gained substantial support across the country, but was banned by the Southern Rhodesian government in February 1959. In turn, on 1 January 1960, the National Democratic Party (NDP) was formed. The NDP advocated a similarly militant platform, and was similarly banned in December 1961. In
2133-596: The MDC constitution and clause 9.2 of the Party’s Disciplinary Code of Conduct . He also stated that Tsvangirai had addressed numerous party rallies telling supporters that the MDC was not participating in the elections, that he wrote to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission telling them to register all MDC candidates wishing to participate as independent candidates . Furthermore, that he instructed party provincial chairpersons to ignore
2212-865: The National People's Congress, (2) the National People's Conference, (3) the Central Committee, (4) the National Consultative Assembly, (5) the National Assembly of the Women's League, (6) the National Assembly of the Youth League, (7) the provincial coordinating committees, (8) the provincial executive councils, (9) the district committees, (10) the branch committees, and (11) the cell/village committees. The current first secretary of ZANU–PF, reelected at
2291-604: The Ncube faction traitors and rebels, including the National Constitutional Assembly - a coalition of pro-democracy civil society groups, which said the election was conceived only as the result of an undemocratic constitutional change. Tsvangirai believed that there was little point in participating in elections in the current political situation in Zimbabwe, as the results, according to him, were certain to be rigged. Welshman Ncube however, declared that
2370-508: The People's Working Convention in February 1999. In February 2000, Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), led by Robert Mugabe organized a constitutional referendum. The proposed change would have limited future presidents to two terms, but as it was not retroactive, Mugabe could have stood for another two terms. It would also have made his government and military officials immune from prosecution for any illegal acts committed while in office. Additionally, it legalized
2449-634: The SRANC's formation in 1957—including Jason Moyo and George Nyandoro —stayed with ZAPU, while many nationalist leaders who had come to prominence in 1960 or later—like Sithole and Mugabe—joined the new party. On 22 August 1963, Sithole held ZANU's first press conference, telling reporters, "When the party came to power it would repeal the Land Apportionment Act . It would also repeal the Land Husbandry Act and replace both by
Movement for Democratic Change Alliance - Misplaced Pages Continue
2528-566: The South African Ministerial Observer team held that the election was substantially free and fair. In 2004, opposition offices in Bulawayo were raided by police officers, armed with search warrants, looking for illegal documents and weapons. During Morgan Tsvangirai's treason trial , pressure built up within the party due to the possibility that Tsvangirai would be imprisoned. There were allegedly rumors of
2607-498: The armed forces, was elevated to the post of vice president of the party (the first woman to hold that office) at the expense of contender Emmerson Mnangagwa and his supporters; Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Information Minister Jonathan Moyo . The 2005 Zimbabwe parliamentary elections were held on 31 March 2005. The party won 59.6% of the popular vote and 78 out of 120 elected seats. Later that year, 26 November, it won 43 of 50 elected senators. The parliamentary election
2686-550: The assembled ZAPU leaders that neither he nor other African heads of state supported the idea of a government in exile and that "victory" could only be achieved within Rhodesia. Nkomo returned to Salisbury on 2 July 1963, after which a majority of the party executive that had remained in Dar es Salaam voted to remove him as president of ZAPU. In response, Nkomo suspended the various "rebels", including Sithole and Robert Mugabe , from
2765-419: The central committee, politburo, and presidium, and most likely endorse the party's next candidate for president. This congress, which takes place every five years, is the most important elective organ for the party. Although President Mugabe had not named a successor, Joice Mujuru was seen by many as the most likely candidate. She had support from both the politburo and the population at large (demonstrated by
2844-473: The confiscation of land owned by white people for redistribution to black farmers without compensation. The MDC led opposition to the referendum, in which the government was ultimately defeated, after a low 20% turnout, by a strong urban vote fueled by an effective SMS campaign. Mugabe declared that he would "abide by the will of the people". The vote was a surprise to ZANU-PF, and an embarrassment before parliamentary elections due in mid-April. This success fueled
2923-559: The congress that ZANU "stands for democracy, socialism, nationalism, one man/one vote, freedom, pan-Africanism , non-racism, and republicanism . The Patriotic Front (PF) was formed as a political and military alliance between ZAPU and ZANU during the war against white minority rule in Rhodesia (now called Zimbabwe). The PF included the Soviet Union -backed ZAPU, which was led by Joshua Nkomo and operated mainly from Zambia , and
3002-435: The constitution was the land reform policies . It stated that, as in the Lancaster House Agreement , Britain would fund land reform from white settlers to landless black peasants. If Britain failed to compensate the farmers, the government would take the farms, without compensation. The party split over whether to contest the 2005 Zimbabwean Senate election into the Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC-T),
3081-489: The election of her loyalists to the youth league). Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa was supported by a smaller group composed mainly of senior members of the security establishment, part of ZANU–PF's parliamentary caucus, younger party members, and a few influential parts of the Zimbabwean business community. He had been with Mugabe since Zimbabwe gained independence and was regarded by many as a successor who could maintain stability after Mugabe eventually left office. Mujuru lost
3160-412: The elections was sending mixed signals to the MDC support base. However, MDC officials replied that there was a strong desire in the party to take up the seats available, in order to increase influence over electoral procedures. In July 2005 a management committee was set up to discuss these factional issues, particularly the alleged formation of a " kitchen cabinet ", made up of presidential aides, around
3239-436: The expanded 210 seats, with Sokwanele stating that this figure would have been lower had it not been for gerrymandering, electoral fraud, and widespread intimidation. At the 2008 presidential election , Morgan Tsvangirai , the MDC candidate, received the most votes, but did not gain an absolute majority; thus a runoff was necessary. Initial results led to MDC-T claiming the required majority. However, ballots were recounted at
Movement for Democratic Change Alliance - Misplaced Pages Continue
3318-447: The growing violence within the party. Because the 2004 commission had failed to reach a consensus and there had been no punishment given to the offenders, a new commission was set up to find cases of corruption and the origin of such violence. The report stated that most of there was a serious problem with misuse of the unemployed youth, who were not educated properly about the party ideology , for selfish and ambitious purposes, and that
3397-539: The larger party led by Morgan Tsvangirai, and the Movement for Democratic Change – Ncube , a smaller faction then led by Arthur Mutambara and later led by Welshman Ncube . However, the two factions formed an electoral pact for the 2018 Zimbabwean general election called the MDC Alliance and re-united under the original name, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), in September 2018. The MDC began after
3476-438: The leadership drew up a program to help the party move forward. The compromise was however, refuted by both sides, with Tsvangirai unable to make a commitment on the subject of his aides, and the pro-senate faction unable to agree not to contest the Senate election at the second mediation meeting. After the Senate elections, the MDC split into two groups: one led by Morgan Tsvangirai, and another by his deputy Gibson Sibanda with
3555-466: The main cause of the ZAPU–ZANU split in his autobiography. ZANU held its inaugural party congress in the Mkoba suburb of Gwelo from 21–23 May 1964. There, Ndabaningi Sithole was elected as the party's first president, Leopold Takawira as vice-president, Robert Mugabe as secretary-general, Herbert Chitepo as national chairman, and Enos Nkala as treasurer. In his presidential address, Sithole told
3634-620: The movement, and his handling of the formation of a government in exile in Tanganyika . According to Nkomo, he had received permission to form a government in exile, but by the time the rest of ZAPU's leadership arrived in Dar es Salaam, he had changed his mind and was opposed the idea. Other accounts describe a split between Nkomo, who preferred an externally-based movement, and others—including Enoch Dumbutshena and Ndabaningi Sithole —who favoured an internal struggle and pressured Nkomo to return to Rhodesia. President Julius Nyerere told
3713-569: The only way of beating Zanu-PF was through elections, and there was no point in boycotting the elections just because of allegations that they were not free and fair. Discussions in February 2006 confirmed the existence of what Ncube called a "mafia kitchen cabinet", a growth in youth violence, conflict and competition for the office of president and the resulting lack of implementation of party policies. Tsvangirai also considered South African President Thabo Mbeki 's mediation attempts as "destructive" and continued to deny tribal discrimination within
3792-591: The party at the MDC Congress held in May 2019. On 28 May 2020, the court ruled that MDC-A was a legal party. In September 2021, Douglas Mwonzora, the leader of a splinter faction of the MDC-T, announced that the MDC-T would use the name MDC Alliance in forthcoming by-elections. In January 2022, Chamisa founded Citizens Coalition For Change . He is backed by Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti . This article about
3871-420: The party who felt that Ncube was plotting to create a new party. There were several reports of violence at the party headquarters by youth members, including the beatings of several party members. There was even a Commission made to decide on whether these allegations were true, although no official decision was made as the commissioners failed to agree. In 2005, amid tension, another report was drafted regarding
3950-552: The party's elective congress on 28 October 2022, is President Emmerson Mnangagwa . The other three members of the party's presidium, appointed by Mnangagwa on 29 October 2022, are Second Secretaries Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi , and National Chairperson Oppah Muchinguri . The party maintains a Women's League and Youth League . A third wing, the War Veterans' League, was established in 2022 and held its inaugural conference on 9 September of that year. ZANU–PF
4029-452: The party's principles were being consumed by greed, corruption and tribal discrimination and that this division in the party would have disastrous consequences, and was threatening to undermine the party. Several youths were expelled from the party but, little other action was taken. This move was criticized by the party's legal spokesman David Coltart : "I cannot believe that the youths involved in these despicable acts acted independently. It
SECTION 50
#17327729157424108-587: The party. Unable to outmaneuver Nkomo within ZAPU, his opponents decided to create their own organisation. On 8 August 1963, Sithole, Herbert Chitepo , Leopold Takawira , Edgar Tekere , Henry Hamadziripi , and Mukudzei Midzi gathered at the Highfield home of Enos Nkala to form the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU). In response to ZANU's formation, Nkomo called a mass meeting on 10 August 1963 at Cold Comfort Farm ,
4187-637: The party. He was also irate over the Central Intelligence Organization 's infiltration of the MDC and claimed that this was a deliberate attempt by Zanu-PF to divide the party. A compromise was proposed at the end of the first meeting, which would result in the pro-senate faction withdrawing from the election. However, the Management Committee would attempt to remove the "kitchen cabinet" and parallel structure. Thirdly, public recriminations would have to stop while
4266-438: The people of Matebeleland like Joshua Nkomo in the 1990s, and accused the Ncube faction of trying to get rid of him so that the new MDC could become puppets of Robert Mugabe . "Even if I am left alone, I will not betray the contract I made with the people. The issue that is there is not about the senate only. It is about whether you want to confront Mugabe or you want to compromise with Mugabe. Some of us are now working towards
4345-586: The presidency on 21 November 2017. Mnangagwa was sworn in as the new President of the Republic of Zimbabwe on 24 November 2017. On 6 September 2019, Robert Mugabe died of cancer (according to Mnangagwa) at the age of 95. He was succeeded as President by Emmerson Mnangagwa . In the March 2022 by-elections , ZANU–PF had a poor performance compared to the Citizens Coalition for Change . ZANU–PF won
4424-838: The president which was acquiring power above those of the elected leadership. These allegations were made by four of the six members in the committee, namely the Vice President Gibson Sibanda , the Secretary General Welshman Ncube , the Deputy Secretary General Gift Chimanikire and the National Treasurer Fletcher Dulini . Morgan Tsvangirai claimed that these claims had no substance, and were down to rumour and hearsay. Party Chairman Isaac Matongo rallied behind
4503-401: The president, although he was the only party official to hold this belief to come from Matebeleland . In a critique of the party structures in 2005, the MDC leadership admitted that the party had "moved away from its social democratic, all inclusive, non-tribalistic foundations." Cracks had also emerged along ethnic lines and between trade unionists and academics. It is widely believed that
4582-411: The presidential election, with Mnangagwa receiving 50.8% of the vote to MDC Alliance's Nelson Chamisa 's 44.3%. The election results have received international attention as possible fraud. After the election, the three member parties who were splinters of the original MDC (MDC-T, MDC-N and PDP) reunited to form a single political party under the name MDC-Alliance. Nelson Chamisa was elected president of
4661-407: The press that the debate was tied at 50-50, which included proxies sent by Sekai Holland and Grace Kwinjeh , alleging that these were not recognised by Ncube, giving him different inaccurate figures. Morgan Tsvangirai overruled the vote, arguing that it was no use contesting an election where the electoral field "breeds illegitimate outcomes and provides for predetermined results." He argued that
4740-562: The pro-senate faction had the bulk of its support in Matabeleland, the party chose the Shona academic Arthur Mutambara to lead their party. The Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) failed for a while in dividing the party by using a white officer from the old Rhodesian Army, Col Lionel Dyck , to make different and secret proposals to Mr. Tsvangirai and Prof. Welshman Ncube . Dyck, a close business associate of Mnangagwa, had formed
4819-426: The pro-senate group had not carried out proper provincial consultations. He also argued against claims that he was not respecting the founding values of the MDC by saying that his position on the senate expressed the will of the people, and that he should therefore be given power to make decisions. He also struck out against the supporters of participation, saying that they were planning a new "Unity Accord" and betraying
SECTION 60
#17327729157424898-536: The protection of Rhodesian police to hold their event, while a "milling pro-Nkomo mob of [a] thousand threatening death to the 'sellouts'" waited outside and stoned the cars of ZANU leaders Sithole and Nathan Shamuyarira as they left. Nkomo's support was even stronger in the African townships of Harare and Mufakose . The day after the meeting, Sithole "acknowledged [a] miscalculation of Nkomo's mass strength." In Bulawayo , two houses were bombed with Molotov cocktails , and on 17 August, three policemen were injured by
4977-423: The rise of the MDC. In the 2000 parliamentary elections, the MDC won 57 of the 120 seats up for election. This marked the first time that an opposition party had achieved more than a handful of seats since the merger of ZANU and ZAPU in 1988. The MDC dominated in most urban centres and Matabeleland . MDC won all seats in the two biggest cities, Harare and Bulawayo and lost only two in Matabeleland. This election
5056-595: The same month, Nkomo formed the Zimbabwe African People's Union , which shared the same aims and tactics of its predecessor organisations. In September 1962, amid growing unrest in Southern Rhodesia's major towns, ZAPU was banned and many of its leaders detained. The colony's Unlawful Organisations Act was also amended in an attempt to prevent ZAPU from being reconstituted with a different name. African nationalist politics in Rhodesia in
5135-544: The split was a reflection of problems that had been in the party for a while but manipulated by the CIO. The issue which eventually led to the splitting of the party was the decision on whether or not to participate in the 2005 Zimbabwe senatorial elections . The MDC had announced during mid-2004 that it would not participate in any further elections in Zimbabwe, until it believed a free and fair vote could take place. However on 3 February 2005, then spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi told
5214-449: The succession battle with Mnangagwa after being expelled from the party in 2015 a new power struggle began between Mnangagwa's faction (known as Team Lacoste ) and Grace Mugabe's faction (known as Generation 40 or G40) which had become violent by 2017. Emmerson Mnangagwa was demoted from Minister of Justice following a cabinet reshuffle, soon after he publicly claimed that he was poisoned, in early-October 2017. On 15 November 2017,
5293-706: The support of Welshman Ncube , Gift Chimanikire and spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi . The pro-Senate group had one more member in the House of Assembly at the time of the split, however senior members of the pro-Senate faction subsequently defected to MDC-T led by Tsvangirai including its Chairman Gift Chimanikire , Blessing Chebundo, the Member of Parliament for Kwekwe , the Environmental Secretary and Binga Member of Parliament Joel Gabuza , and Senate Candidate for Tsholotsho Sam Sipepa Nkomo . Although
5372-555: The symptoms of the problem, not its root cause." Former allies, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and the National Constitutional Assembly also clashed with MDC leadership. In particular, the ZCTU said that the MDC should not take up its seats in parliament , and should concentrate on extra-parliamentary affairs. They argued that rejecting the electoral process , and pointing out its flaws, while still contesting
5451-593: The world that the MDC will not participate in this election. If the party breaks so be it. I will answer to congress." In response to his misinformation at the press conference Gibson Sibanda , the Deputy President of the party, summoned Tsvangirai to a hearing of the National Disciplinary Committee charging that because of his actions at and after the National Council Meeting, he had willfully violated clauses 4.4 (a), 6.1.1 (a) and (d) of
5530-467: The youngsters." Despite facing initial backlash, ZANU did gain a following, and found particularly strong support in the eastern districts around Fort Victoria and Umtali . Meanwhile, ZAPU maintained an advantage in Bulawayo and Matabeleland , and in and around the capital, Salisbury. Though neither party's leaders belonged exclusively to one ethnic group, the division arguably had an ethnic component, with ZAPU finding disproportionate support among
5609-478: Was absorbed through the Unity Accord with ZANU to form an official ZANU–PF. From 1999 to 2017, Mugabe faced a major political challenge from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change . Mugabe won 56% at the presidential elections of 9–11 March 2002. At the December 2004 five-year conference, Joice Mujuru , a Zezuru Shona like Mugabe, and whose late-husband Solomon Mujuru was the retired head of
5688-491: Was disputed as being unfair. The leader of the opposition MDC party said, "We are deeply disturbed by the fraudulent activities we have unearthed", and various human rights groups reported that hundreds of thousands of "ghost voters" had appeared on the electoral roll of 5.8 million people. At the 2008 parliamentary election , the ZANU–PF lost its majority in parliament for the first time since independence, and held 94 seats out of
5767-476: Was formed to contest the 2018 election . The MDC Alliance was led by Nelson Chamisa who replaced Morgan Tsvangirai as President of the MDC-T after Tsvangirai died on the 14 February 2018 after a long fight against colon cancer. On 30 July 2018, the alliance went head to head with the Emmerson Mnangagwa -led ZANU–PF in Zimbabwe's historic elections . The alliance was narrowly edged by ZANU–PF in
5846-423: Was led for many years by Robert Mugabe , first as prime minister with the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and then as president from 1987 after the merger with the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) and retaining the name ZANU–PF, until 2017, when he was removed as leader. At the 2008 parliamentary election , the ZANU–PF lost sole control of parliament for the first time in party history and brokered
5925-399: Was made up of many civic groups who campaigned for the "No" vote in the 2000 constitutional referendum , which would limit a president's service to two terms, before the introduction of a prime minister , as well as giving legal immunities to the state. As the term limit was not retroactive, Mugabe could still have maintained the presidency for two more terms. The most controversial part of
6004-528: Was quickly taken up by the press, and stood in contrast to ZAPU, which had not made public a comprehensive platform. ZAPU responded by attacking ZANU leaders' character and ideological bona fides. Almost immediately following the split, violent clashes broke out between supporters of the rival parties in urban areas across the country. At one ZANU meeting in August 1963 in Highfield, 200 supporters required
6083-670: Was the City Youth League (CYL), formed in the colony's capital, Salisbury , in August 1955 by James Chikerema , Dunduzu Chisiza , George Nyandoro , and Edson Sithole . On 12 September 1957, the CYL merged with the long-established but largely dormant Southern Rhodesia chapter of the African National Congress to form the Southern Rhodesia African National Congress (SRANC). The new organisation adopted
6162-609: Was viewed by international observers from the Commonwealth of Nations and Norwegian and South African parliamentary delegations declared the election not being free and fair. The MDC claimed the elections were rigged, citing state-sponsored violence and some voter results figures that were unaccounted for. They took the matter to court. Some missions from Mugabe's allies such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) observers and
6241-407: Was won by Mugabe and ZANU–PF, with Nkomo and his PF–ZAPU retaining a stronghold in the provinces of Matabeleland . In December 1981, agents of South Africa 's apartheid government bombed party headquarters, nearly killing many senior ZANU–PF leaders, including Robert Mugabe. In December 1987, after five years of the low-level civil war known as Gukurahundi , the opposition ZAPU, led by Nkomo,
#741258