MDC dissolves women’s assembly

The disbanding of the Women’s Assembly has heightened tensions in the opposition party, amid allegations of abuse of power by the Standing Committee, which ordered the dissolution.

The move has also exposed the factional plotting, greed and backstabbing in the fractious Women’s Assembly.

The Zimbabwean heard that the feisty Makone – who is said to be close friends to Susan Tsvangirai, the MDC president’s wife – engineered the internal revolt that has now toppled trade unionist Matibenga – who was elected Women’s Assembly chairperson at the MDC congress last year. Her term was expected to end in 2011. There were also unverified reports of bad blood between Matibenga and Tsvangirai dating back to the opposition leader’s days in the trade union movement.

The Standing Committee – comprising MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, Vice President Thokozane Khupe, secretary general Tendai Biti, chairman Lovemore Moyo and spokesman Nelson Chamisa – resolved to dissolve the Women’s Assembly after receiving a damning report from a Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate allegations of lackluster performance by the Women Assembly.

The Zimbabwean heard that the controversial decision to disband the Women’s Assembly has also sharply divided the Standing Committee, amid reports some members fiercely opposed the decision.

Senior opposition officials, speaking strictly on condition of anonymity, said the Standing Committee does not wield so much power to dissolve a whole Women’s Assembly in between congresses.

Inside sources said the move has been fiercely opposed in the lower MDC structures, amid reports the Harare Provincial leadership met in Harare Tuesday to express their displeasure at the decision. Many other provinces were said to have expressed their disquiet with the decision.

Matibenga was said to be frantically trying to quash the rebellion, which is said to have the express authority of Tsvangirai and Biti.

It is believed 70 percent of the MDC National Executive is totally opposed to the decision to disband the Women’s Assembly.

The Lucia-Matibenga-led executive comprises 24 members and 12 provincial chairpersons.

Biti was not immediately available for comment. But The Zimbabwean understands that the MDC secretary general on Tuesday announced that new elections for a new Women’s Assembly will be held on October 28.

Those in the disbanded executive are free to contest for seats they held in the disbanded executive at the extra-ordinary congress.

But there were reports of a plot by Makone to grease the palms of the provincial chairpersons to vote favourably.  Insiders say Makone has garnered the support of the provincial chairpersons using her financial strength.