MDC factions unable to resolve differences

The Zimbabwean opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is headed for a messy divorce, with factions within the party citing irreconcilable differences. "There is no possibility of us ever coming together," said Paul Themba Nyathi, spokesman for the pro-senate election faction on Thursday, when the MDC faction led by President Morgan Tsvangirai announced that it was in the process of recalling elected "rebel" MPs from their constituencies. MDC vice-president Gibson Sibanda, leader of the "rebel" faction which parted ways with MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai over participation in the senate, announced at a press conference on Wednesday that uniting the two factions was "out of the question". The labour-backed MDC's bitter wrangle over the senate election has progressed over the past few weeks into a power tussle, with each faction trying to expel or suspend its opponents. This week the factions also announced that they intended to hold two separate congresses next year. Analyst Chris Maroleng from the Institute for Security Studies, a South African think-tank, said the recent statements indicated that the relationship between the top officials had "broken down irrevocably", and talks to bridge the differences had failed. The process of recalling the "rebel" MPs also signalled that the factions had "parted ways". Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the "mainstream MDC" led by Tsvangirai, told IRIN on Thursday that they had initiated a process to recall "rebel" MPs, including secretary-general Welshman Ncube and deputy secretary-general Gift Chimankire. The party had already passed a vote of no confidence against three MPs - Chimanikire, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Trudy Stevenson - a development that would force by-elections in their constituencies, according to the Tsvangirai camp. MDC districts aggrieved over the three MPs "misrepresenting" their constituencies on the senate elections had petitioned the party's provincial structure for parliamentary recalls. Harare had accepted the petition and would submit it to the party's national council for a final decision. Stevenson and Misihairabwi-Mushonga were arguably the most vocal in their support of senate participation. Chimanikire rubbished the move by the anti-senate faction to purge them. "As far as I am concerned, that decision had nothing to do with the districts - it is the national council which makes decisions ... and that decision cannot be reviewed at district level," he said. Stevenson told IRIN she was not aware of any moves to remove her. Tsvangirai has summoned his "rebelling rivals" to a disciplinary hearing scheduled for Saturday, but Sibanda said they would not attend the "bogus" hearing called by Tsvangirai's camp.