People's Democratic Party

Members of the MDC Renewal Team at a rally

On 26 April 2014, disgruntled members of MDC T National Council held a meeting at Mandel Training Centre in Harare and disowned Tsvangirayi as the leader of the party.^[2] This was followed by the expulsion of those who attended the meeting, providing an impetus for the creation and or formation of the Renewal Team.

When the team was launched, Biti argued that it was just a grouping of social democrats guided by principles of pan-Africanism. In spite of this however, on 25 July 2014, the team announced its National Executive Committee which was made up of 16 committees.^[3] Hence the team was no longer a social grouping per se but a fully fledged political party. The party adopted orange as its main colour and the party's slogan was 'MDC Team Renewal: The party of choice : The party of choice : MDC Renewal Team

Re-branding to People’s Democratic Party

The MDC Renewal Team changed its name to the People's Democratic Party in September 2015 at the party's first congress.^[4]

The National Executive Committees and Appointed Leaders

1. Dr. Samuel Sipepa Nkomo - Interim Chairman and or president of the team-cum-party. He was replaced by Sekai Holland when she joined the party in September 2014 after defecting from MDC-T on 23 September 2014. Holland herself quit on 23 May 2015.
2. Tendai Biti - Finance, Administration Policy and Research Functions
3. Elton Mangoma - Informal Sector and Livelihoods
4. Gorden Moyo - Diaspora and International Relations
5. Jeffreyson Chitando - Recruitment and Mobilisation
6. Solomon Madzore - Organising Committee
7. Settlement Chikwinya - Labour and Civic Society
8. Kerry Kay - Local Government Portfolio
9. Shepherd Mushonga - Legal Affairs
10. Lucia Matibenga - Social Welfare
11. Last Maengahama - Cadership Development and Ideology
12. Willias Madzimure- Parliamentary Affairs
13. Luta Shaba - Constitution Implementation
14. Tongai Matutu - Head of Elections

A few months after the inception of the party's national executive committee, it was reported that the party was struggling to contend with a tribal storm ignited by the team's members from Matabeleland. Those who were at the fore front of criticising the team were Reggie Moyo and Bekithemba Nyathi who argued that the national executive committee was flawed as it deliberately shunned people from Matebeleland to be in the committee.^[5] They also highlighted that, although Nkomo was recognised and widely publicised as the interim president of the team, Mangoma and Biti were the team's presidents. Mufema confirmed that the team's members from Matabeleland had their issue considered, dismissing that there was really a tribal war within the team. The party announced that it was to hold its first congress in March 2015.^[3] It was also reported that Mangoma and Biti were jostling for power to led the team ahead of its first congress.^[1]

The Party's Principles

1. Equality of opportunities
2. Respect for the liberation struggle
3. Democratization of Zimbabwe through peaceful and non violent means
4. Respect of the rule of law and constitutionalism
5. Gender equality
6. Freedom of worship
7. Constitutionalism
8. Right of women to equal participation and equal in the affairs of the nation
9. The right of freedom of worship
10. Respect and observance of collective decision making
11. The right to self-actualization
12. Respect of human dignity and right to life Respect for the dignity of honest hard work^[6]

Re-unification with other political parties

The team embarked on a process of uniting with other opposition political parties. In October 2014, the team signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Welshman Ncube led MDC faction.^[7] On 26 November 2014, the two party's held a reunification signing ceremony at old Harrarians Sports Club.^[8] After the signing of the MoU, there was the formation of United Movement for Democratic Change (UMDC) led by Ncube and Holland. The UMDC announced that it was going to hold its first congress in August 2015.^[9]

On 14 January 2015, Mufema, the spokesperson of MDC Renewal Team announced that the team was boycotting the by elections slated for 27 March to fill the parliamentary seats which fell vacant after the re-election of Joice Mujuru as the country's vice president in September 2013, who was ousted in December 2014 and Emmerson Mnangagwa was appointed to replaced her.^[10]

MDC Alliance

In August 2017, PDP became part of the MDC Alliance coalition following negotiations with the president of MDC-T Morgan Tsvangirai. The parties (along with Welshman Ncube led MDC) felt that they could win against Zanu-PF in the 2018 elections if they contested as a coalition.

The MDC coalition's presidential candidate for the 2018 elections was Nelson Chamisa.

References