by Brightface Mutema

MDC secretary for Gokwe-Sesame District, Elias Mashavira has, this Monday, petitioned the High Court seeking an order declaring that Nelson Chamisa is not the acting president or substantive president of the opposition party. He is also seeking an order to direct that an MDC extraordinary congress be held within 60 days to elect the late Morgan Richard Tsvangirai's successor according to the party's constitution.

Mashavira is represented by his lawyers, Mutungura and Partners. He cited the MDC Chamisa faction, Co-Vice-presidents, Morgen Komichi and Elias Mudzuri and Secretary-General, Douglas Mwonzora as well as MDC-T president, Dr Thokozani Khupe, as respondents.

Chamisa catapulted himself to the echelons of the opposition outfit upon the death of Tsvangirai early, this year. His ascendancy was however, buttressed by a kangaroo National Executive Committee meeting and the National Council, but, going against the party’s constitution. Things have never been the same in the party since then. Dr Khupe and the, then MDC-T Spokesperson, Obert Gutu amongst others refused to be part of the cooked up arrangement and called it a day.

It is because of the way events unfolded that Mashavira is challenging the decision by the party’s National Executive Committee and the National Council which purportedly elected Chamisa and his colleagues into office.

If previous events are anything to go by, the case is going to be an interesting one considering that Chamisa has so far fared badly in such political cases including the one against Dr Khupe where he sought to monopolise the party name.