11-09-2023

On this day in 1999, a new baby was born- a people’s political vehicle for change, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Led by the iconic revolutionary, Dr Morgan Tsvangirai the party also became home to other luminaries like the MDC Alliance President Advocate Nelson Chamisa, Isaac Matongo (late), Gibson Sibanda (late), current MDC Alliance Vice Presidents Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti, National Chair Tabitha Khumalo and Job Sikhala among an inexhaustible list of icons of the democratic struggle.

Despite its rich history the people’s vehicle for change had seen its own share of challenges and obstacles.

From that unforgettable afternoon, when the late dictator Robert Mugabe unleashed his demons that left Dr Tsvangirai and Advocate Chamisa with deep gushes and battling for survival, to the 2008 post election horror, the people’s vehicle for change has gone through the worst.

Like any other struggle, the movement has never been short of betrayals.

Who can forget the Mwonzora-Komichi-Khupe axis? The MKK moment of madness!

Absorbed in generational jealous against President Chamisa’s popular appeal to the masses, the trio in a scotched earth policy and working in cahoots with Emmerson Mnangagwa embarked on a midnight raid and illegally seized the party’s headquarters.

We have since witnessed recalls of people’s elected representatives but that did not dissuade the people’s genuine quest for freedom. People know their real leaders and like tick, they remain glued to the visionary MDC Alliance President, Advocate Nelson Chamisa.

We have gone through a metamorphosis as a party. It is important to mention that the party that was formed in 1999 by Dr Tsvangirai is the one that is being led by Advocate Chamisa today. It is MDC that transmogrified into MDC Alliance in 2018 following a through consultative process with the people by the late icon, Dr Tsvangirai.

More than ever we remain in a strong position to seize power from the clueless ZANU PF government fronted by Mnangagwa.

At 22, the movement is ripe for marriage with state power. For that to happen, the biggest task at hand now is to register voters en masse as we heard towards the next elections. We have to go out and vote in our numbers on the election dates and defend the sacred vote.

At 22, we have come out of age to control our own destiny.

Happy birthday, the People’s Movement, MDC Alliance!

FreeMako

DefyOrDie

RegisterToVoteZw

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson