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Zimbabwe Independent
Augustine Mukaro

CLASHES erupted this week over the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)’s assets and areas of influence as the split in the party deepens.

The two factions locked horns over a motor vehicle on Wednesday that was in the Arthur Mutambara camp’s possession. It was seized in the centre of Harare in broad daylight by “youth militia” belonging to the Morgan Tsvangirai camp.

The Zimbabwe Independent last night established that the incident was reported to the police at Harare Central, IR number 032822.The vehicle in dispute is a white Nissan Hardbody registration AAB 79931.

This came after skirmishes among faction supporters during a poorly-attended rally addressed by Mutambara at St Mary’s in Chitungwiza on Sunday. The events make the projected bridge-building talks between the two sides brokered by Bulawayo MP David Coltart seem increasingly remote, observers say.

The MDC factions are on a collision course over the party’s assets that are a source of growing conflict. The assets at stake include the party’s Harvest House headquarters in central Harare, offices in Bulawayo, Hwange and an office stand in Kwekwe as well as almost 30 party vehicles.

Apart from buildings, there is also office furniture, equipment and computers.

“After the seizure of the vehicle from the Mutambara faction by activists from Morgan Tsvangirai’s group, this means the Tsvangirai camp now has 19 vehicles in its possession, while Mutambara’s group has eight,” a source said. “The Mutambara group has so far lost seven vehicles since the infighting began in October last year. There are also other things at the centre of the fight like equipment, faxes, photocopiers and no less than 30 computers.”

The source said Tsvangirai’s Strathaven home could also become part of the tussle because it was bought using party funds although it was registered in his name.

Zimbabwe Independent
Loughty Dube

MDC secretary for legal affairs, David Coltart, is in a dilemma over which side to back between Arthur Mutambara and the Morgan Tsvangirai factions, it has been established.

Mutambara’s faction has left the post of legal affairs secretary open as they wait for Coltart’s decision.

Coltart, who has said his political future will be decided after the final resolution of the MDC crisis, has repeatedly spurned overtures to join either camp.

During Mutambara’s congress in Bulawayo, Coltart was elected in absentia to the pro-senate executive as secretary for legal affairs, but he turned down the offer saying it was a mistake since he had indicated that he did not want to be elected to any position.

It emerged this week that the Mutambara faction has not filled the position.

Paul Themba Nyathi, the spokesperson for the camp, confirmed to the Zimbabwe Independent that the position of secretary for legal affairs had not yet been filled.

“We are still looking for a suitable candidate,” he said. “We have a lot of suitable candidates interested in the position but we want to choose the most eligible,” Nyathi said.

Sources this week however said the Mutambara faction was struggling to find a candidate.

“Ever since the congress, it has been difficult to find a suitable candidate to fill the legal affairs portfolio and the faction still believes that Coltart will change his mind and accept the position,” one source said.

Coltart is the only MP in the MDC who did not align himself with either of the factions and says his major commitment is to see the MDC problem solved first.

SW Radio Africa

A leading opposition legislator has said government can introduce as many laws as it wants but that will not stop the people’s quest for freedom and liberty.

Responding to government’s introduction of a new law to curb acts of international terrorism in the country David Coltart, MDC MP for Bulawayo South, said he had no doubt the new legislation will be used against people opposed to the tyranny of the regime and those opposed to its corruption and mismanagement.

Facing mounting pressure from opposition parties and civic groups government has responded by crafting a new law that could see opponents convicted of plotting to overthrow it, getting life sentences.

The Suppression of Foreign and International Terrorism Bill (2006), published in the state controlled Herald Monday will provide for the curtailment of foreign and international terrorism, including mercenary activity.

Under the proposed legislation, it would be an offence to undergo training for foreign or international terrorism, to recruit persons to undergo such training, or to possess weaponry that would be used for the purposes of foreign or international terrorist activity.

Given that the ruling regime enjoys a comfortable majority in Parliament the proposed law is likely to sail through without a hitch.

Coltart said he is suspicious of it and wondered whether the legislation will be used for other purposes other than tracking down Al-Qaeda operatives and genuine terrorists.

‘For instance in November 2001, the government described me as a terrorist because it alleged I was involved in the disappearance of Cain Nkala,’ he said.

Coltart, a lawyer by profession, said the definition of terrorism by the Zimbabwe government was very different to what the rest of the civilised and democratic world call terrorists.

The Zimbabwe Independent

THE future of a united opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is set to be decided in the coming few weeks as negotiators tasked to chart the way forward are due to make contact with the leadership of both factions anytime from this week, sources close to the negotiations have revealed.

The negotiations, which were initially meant to come up with an amicable separation of the MDC, are now likely to focus on reconciliation after both sides indicated that there was no way the opposition could tackle Zanu PF from a divided position.

Sources close to the Arthur Mutambara faction said Bulawayo South member of parliament, David Coltart, was leading an initiative to reconcile the two camps.

Coltart this week confirmed that he was pushing for either reconciliation or an amicable break-up of the party without involving the courts.

“I have made it known to (Morgan) Tsvangirai and (Gibson) Sibanda that I am committed to a process of mediation and I have written to both camps with proposals on how we could go about it. Democracy in Zimbabwe will never be brought about by a divided opposition,” Coltart said.

The MDC split in October last year over whether or not to participate in the senate election.

Coltart could not be drawn into revealing what other people were working on the initiative, only saying he could not do it by himself.

“This has to be done with others as the process will need negotiations and compromises,” he said.

Coltart said he had indicated to the two camps that there are respected people who should be engaged to resolve the feud amicably.

Spokesperson for Mutambara’s group Paul Themba Nyathi, when contacted this week said he was aware of plans towards reconciling the two factions but said it was premature to comment.

Financial Gazette

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai has poured cold water on prospects of a speedy reunification with a splinter faction of the party despite a congress resolution that the fractious party works “for the unity of all genuine cadres to the struggle.”

By Andnetwork .com

Former Matabeleland North Governor, Mr Welshman Mabhena, who last week distanced himself from the MDC faction led by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, has reportedly been nominated for the post of vice-president of the group, which Makokoba legislator, Ms Thokozani Khuphe, hoped to win, it emerged yesterday.

The faction’s spokesman, Mr Nelson Chamisa, who is tipped to land the post of secretary for information and publicity, confirmed that nominations from the provinces had started rolling in ahead of the group’s congress to be held in Harare this weekend with 13 000 delegates expected to attend.

He would not be drawn into releasing names of the members of the group that have been nominated to assume the top leadership of the faction.

“What I can tell you is that the speculation on the nomination process and the names that are being thrown around are pretty within the realm of speculative reality. We have agreed that we will not release the names for fear of prejudicing the independence of the electoral process and, by the way, even on the day of the elections people can be nominated from the floor to contest certain positions, ” he said.

However, reports on a website and sources yesterday said Mr Mabhena, a former Zanu(PF) politburo member dropped from the Government in 2000, was nominated by Manicaland province ahead of elections at the faction’s congress this weekend. As part of the faction’s ethnic powersharing act, the vice-presidency has been reserved for someone from the Matabeleland region.

Ms Khuphe is reported to command support from all provinces except Manicaland which threw its weight behind Mr Mabhena and Midlands North which is reported to be backing Ms Gertrude Mthombeni, who is Ms Khuphe’s former ally in the women’s section of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.

SW Radio Africa - Violet Gonda

The posts of secretary for legal affairs and the secretary for economic affairs were left vacant

The legal affairs spokesman for the MDC, David Coltart, has rejected his appointment to the National Executive of the pro-senate faction of the party, which held its congress in Bulawayo at the weekend. Coltart told SW Radio Africa that he has always wanted to preserve his neutrality so he can help the two warring factions reach an amicable divorce. He said: “I am obviously honoured to have been nominated but, with the greatest respect, I will turn it down as I said in my letter to both Morgan Tsvangirai and Gibson Sibanda that I would not be attending either Congress and would not seek election, or accept nomination, to either Executive. He said he would only decide where his “political home will be” once a settlement had been reached. A press statement issued with a list of new officials for the group now led by Professor Arthur Mutambara was sent out on Wednesday. Coltart said he was surprised to discover that he was appointed a Committee Member of the Bulawayo province. He stated that his position was pending the completion of his attempt to bring about an amicable settlement of the dispute between the two factions. Coltart has in the past refused to align himself with either group but news of his election has further fuelled speculation about his position on this matter. The Mutambara-led camp successfully filled most of the positions but the posts of secretary for legal affairs and the secretary for economic affairs were left vacant in the hope of giving them to either Coltart or Tendai Biti, who supports the Tsvangirai led camp.