United Movement for Democratic Change

United Movement for Democratic Change
United Movement for Democratic Change
Abbreviation	UMDC
Founder	Tendai Biti
Founder	Welshman Ncube

The United Movement for Democratic Change (UMDC) is the youngest political party in Zimbabwe. It was formed after the merging of two former MDC formations led by Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti respectively.

History and Formation

The UMDC was formed in November 2014 after a merger between the two parties which emerged separately from the main MDC-T party led by Morgan Tsvangirai. Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti are viewed as the two brains behind the formation of the UMDC. The party was officially launched at Stanley Square in the Makokoba township of Bulawayo.^[1]

Welshman Ncube

Welshman Ncube together with Arthur Mtambara in 2005 led a major breakaway party from the MDC-T after serious internal fighting on whether or not to contest in the 2005 elections. Ncube eventually took over from Mtambara after the later's term of office had expired. He continued to maintain the name MDC after the split.

Tendai Biti

Biti led the so-called MDC Renewal Team that broke away from the MDC-T in 2014 after serious internal differences had emerged in the party after the controversial July 31, 2013 elections. It was made up of people like Elton Mangoma, Sekai Holland, Willias Madzimure, and Lucia Matibenga.

in 2015, the UMDC made its first loud scream against the Robert Mugabe government when it launched an official complaint against parliamentarians who had defected from the MDC-T. The party argued that the expulsion of its leaders was not constitutional. Another argument which they put across was the party was the legitimate MDC party.