MDC standing committee 'empowered to dissolve women's executive'

MDC standing committee 'empowered to dissolve women's executive'

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By Lovemore Moyo MP

THE Women's Assembly of the MDC (Morgan Tsvangirai faction) held a successful extra-ordinary Congress in Bulawayo on Sunday, 28 October 2007, where a new team of leaders was elected by the women themselves.

The event itself was marred by bussed people who came to disrupt the event, even though the High Court had ruled on Friday that the extra-ordinary Congress could proceed as long as the women themselves were in favour of dissolution.

Before the elections began on Sunday, I, as the National Chairman of the party and as the presiding officer of the extra-ordinary Congress, asked and sought reaffirmation from the women themselves whether they were in favour of dissolution of their Assembly. The women were unanimous that only a new executive would take the Assembly forward.

Due process took place in arriving at the decision to dissolve the Women's Assembly executive. The decision taken by the Standing Committee on Tuesday, 2 October 2007, was a constitutional decision which was in the best interest of the party and the women themselves.

On 11 July 2007, the Secretary General of the Party, Honourable Tendai Biti, was called to a meeting of the Executive of the Assembly of Women, wherein a number of issues were discussed. In this meeting the 14 women present expressed negative feelings about the manner in which the Assembly was being run.

Another meeting was held on 18 July 2007 between the President of the Party and the full Executive of the Assembly of Women. Again as in previous meeting, there was general consensus from the women themselves, including the chairperson Ms Lucia Matibenga, that the Assembly was largely dysfunctional due to bad relations between the members of the leadership.

When the National Council meeting was convened on 28 July 2007, the issue of the dysfunctionality and disharmony of the Assembly of Women and the issue of dissolution was already on the table.

What the National Council simply did was to accept the dysfunctionality but however, to allow due process in respect of the remedy. That is why the National Chairman was asked to set up a Commission of Inquiry, the basis upon which the National Standing Committee would then act to remedy and rectify the dysfunctionality. Section 5.4.2.1 ( c) of the party's Constitution, gives the National Council the powers to "supervise and direct the work of the party and its organs."

The resolution of the National Council on this issue which empowered the Standing Committee to act as it did reads as follows;

" 2. A three-member Committee answerable to the National Chairman will investigate the causes of the disharmony and dysfunction in the Women's Assembly. The Committee will make specific recommendations and submit findings to the National Chairman who will table it before the Standing Committee for appropriate action to be taken."

Thus the National Council delegated its power to act to the National Standing Committee. That power includes the right to dissolve and the right to call for an extra-ordinary Congress of the Assembly of Women.

On Friday, 26 October 2007, the High Court, after a two-hour hearing, considered the legality of the decision to dissolve the Women's Assembly and the legality of the decision to call for an extra-ordinary Congress to be held on 28 October 2007.

The correctness of the decision to dissolve the Women's Assembly was vindicated and this paved the way for the Congress of 28 October 2007 to proceed.

The following executive was duly elected :

Chairperson: Ms Theresa Makone
Deputy Chairperson: Ms Enna Chitsa
Secretary-General: Ms Evelyn Masaiti
Deputy Secretary-General: Ms Margaret Matienga
Treasurer: Ms Sphiwe Banda
Organiser: Ms Lynette Karenyi Kore
Deputy Organiser: Ms Judith Chitembwe
Secretary for Information and Publicity: Ms Sibusisiwe Masara

Lovemore Moyo MP is the national chairman of the MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai
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