Senate polls in Zimbabwe cause crisis in opposition MDC

The upcoming senatorial elections in Zimbabwe had caused a crisis within the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) over participation in the senate polls scheduled for November 26 polls.

The MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was quoted on Monday by the Herald as saying that as the leader of the opposition party, he has the mandate to steer it in the direction he feels right.

Tsvangirai said in Victoria Falls on Sunday the pending Senate elections had caused a crisis within the opposition party.

"I am giving all the MDC members who chose to go against my will and contest the (senate) elections seven days to withdraw or be fired from the party," he said.

"The elections have caused the party to split into two groups," he said.

Referring to the other faction, which is in favor of participation in the polls, Tsvangirai said he was not going to give in to their demands, brushing them aside as "juniors".

Tsvangirai also said he would mobilize his supporters for mass action to confront the government.

"We need to confront the government. So I call on you people to rally behind us in the mass action we are organizing," he said.

Divisions have rocked the MDC ever since a majority of members of the party's national council voted in favor of contesting the senate elections.

This has seen the party splitting into two camps, one led by MDC secretary-general Welshman Ncube, which is for the polls, and the other by Tsvangirai, which is for a boycott.

Source: Xinhua