Innocent Madawo
Tuesday, 27 March 2007

Toronto MDC dsyfunctional


TORONTO – The Toronto branch of Zimbabwe’s main opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has become so dysfunctional that none other than the chairman, Andrew Manyevere is quitting.

Sources within the party said that the branch’s executive has been rocked by squabbles and scandals that have driven away former and potential members.

Manyevere admitted to MAP that “there are problems” in his executive. “But like in any organization, we have channels to deal with those problems and that is what we are doing,” he said.

On the issue of him quitting, Manyevere said: “Right from the beginning I only wanted to help set up the branch using my experience as an executive member in Dallas, Texas, but I never intended to stay on as chairman.

“Unlike Zanu PF whose leaders refuse to leave power, in MDC we retire and that is what I intend to do,” said Manyevere.

However, impeccable sources from within his inner circle said the chairman was no longer comfortable with the embarrassing actions of his executive, which is dominated by people much younger than him. Sources told of an executive so consumed by individual gratification that not much was done to compliment the main party’s fight for democracy back home.

One disillusioned member of the executive talked of colleagues who used party resources to organize parties where they got drunk and become abusive while at least one senior official was known to have misplaced or “borrowed” close to C$2,000 from party coffers.

Manyevere could not be clear about the money preferring to say there was a “tragic incident” involving one of the members of the executive and the matter was being dealt with internally.

MDC meetings were “wasted discussing mundane administrative issues” instead of mapping out ways to rally Zimbabweans in exile behind the party and lobby for Canada and other foreign organizations to strengthen advocacy against President Mugabe’s ruling Zanu PF party which is considered undemocratic.

Manyevere countered that his branch had organized two successful demonstrations last year and that he had issued a number of statements “denouncing Mugabe’s dictatorial rule”. However, the demonstrations were attended by very few people in a city full of Zimbabweans who regard themselves as MDC supporters.

“Even the statements he speaks of are personal opinions which often cause problems in meetings because some of us prefer that he consults us before he issues them,” said a source.

“I have asked members of my executive to come up with issues to discuss and make statements in their own right and some tried but ended up admitting they could not do it,” said Manyevere, who is the mature face of the party.

He has long been burdened by the behaviours of his young executive whose indiscretions he has often been called to answer for. But some of his colleagues are said to have been begging him to stay acknowledging that he was the glue that held them in place and if he left they would be kicked out by ordinary members.

“Most of these guys know that without Manyevere’s cover they will not last in the executive. A number of them have their applications for refugee status either pending or they were denied and are hoping that their positions in the party might help them in some way, either here or when they go back home,” said source.

The chairman admitted that the party would benefit from a renewal.

“Starting afresh is not wrong. Any organization would need new ideas and MDC is no exception,” he said.

The branch was launched in December 2005 with a promise to become the most active of all MDC branches in the Diaspora.

However, soon after it was started, some of its leaders resigned citing dictatorial tendencies among their colleagues. Ordinary members also complained that their views were not being respected, so many left or just remained non-active card holders - MAP Feature Service.


http://thesouthernafrican.com/News/Diaspora_News/Toronto_MDC_dsyfunctional/