HARARE — Nelson Chamisa, the acting president of Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, MDC-T, has dowplayed claims that he is an “illegitimate” leader of the party, which was previously led by the late Morgan Tsvangirai, who died last month.
He was appointed a co-vice president of the party by Tsvanigirai in July 2016 to serve alongside two other vice-presidents. A day after Tsvanigirai died of cancer, the party’s national council appointed Chamisa acting President for a period of 12 months, effectively elbowing out his fellow vice-president Elias Mudzuri.
Chamisa said here Monday that those who are saying he is not a legitimate acting President are in the minority. Divisions in MDC-T have continued despite re-assurances of unity from Chamisa.
The party leadership has been at loggerheads since the death of Tsvangirai.
Speaking to the South Arfican Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in Harare, Chamisa said only a few individuals were trying to divide the organization. He said those who are saying he is not a legitimate acting president are in the minority.
Chamisa is confident that MDC-T will do well in the national elections later this year. He also told SABC foreign editor Sophie Mokoena that former president Robert Mugabe will for the first time vote for the opposition.
Mugabe resigned as Zimbabwe’s president in November last year, after the national committee of his ruling Zanu PF party recalled him as party president and elected Emmerson Mnangagwa as party president. Mnangagwa was subsequently elected Zimbabwe’s president by the national assembly.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK
