Movement for Democratic Change Alliance

The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance is an electoral coalition of seven political parties formed to contest Zimbabwe's 2018 general election.[1] After the 2018 election, a dispute arose over the use of the name MDC Alliance leading the MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to found the Citizens Coalition for Change.

Movement for Democratic Change Alliance
AbbreviationMDC-A
LeaderDouglas Mwonzora
ChairpersonMorgan Komichi
DeputyElias Mudzuru
Founded6 August 2017
IdeologySocial democracy
Political positionCentre-left
National Assembly
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History

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Three of the member parties were splinters from the original Movement for Democratic Change and each other. The bloc was formed to contest the 2018 election. The MDC Alliance was led by Nelson Chamisa[2] who replaced Morgan Tsvangirai as President of the MDC-T after Tsvangirai died on the 14 February 2018 after a long fight against colon cancer.[3] On 30 July 2018, the alliance went head to head with the Emmerson Mnangagwa-led ZANU–PF in Zimbabwe's historic elections. The alliance was narrowly edged by ZANU–PF in the presidential election, with Mnangagwa receiving 50.8% of the vote to MDC Alliance's Nelson Chamisa's 44.3%. The election results have received international attention as possible fraud.[4]

After the election, the three member parties who were splinters of the original MDC (MDC-T, MDC-N and PDP) reunited to form a single political party under the name MDC-Alliance.[5] Nelson Chamisa was elected president of the party at the MDC Congress held in May 2019.[6] On 28 May 2020, the court ruled that MDC-A was a legal party.[7]

In September 2021, Douglas Mwonzora, the leader of a splinter faction of the MDC-T, announced that the MDC-T would use the name MDC Alliance in forthcoming by-elections.[8][9]

In January 2022, Chamisa founded Citizens Coalition For Change.[10][11][12][13] He is backed by Welshman Ncube[14] and Tendai Biti.[15]

Member parties

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Electoral history

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Presidential elections

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Election Party candidate Votes % Result
2018 Nelson Chamisa 2.600.000 44.3% Lost  N

House of Assembly elections

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Election Party leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Result
2018 Nelson Chamisa 1,624,875 34.33%
88 / 270
  88   2nd Opposition

Senate elections

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Election Party leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Result
2018 Nelson Chamisa
25 / 80
    2nd Opposition

References

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  1. ^ Zimbabwe Opposition Launches MDC Alliance Ahead of 2018 General Elections, VOA Zimbabwe
  2. ^ Munhende, Leopold (16 June 2020). "Zimbabwe: Chamisa Dumped By Storm Trooper Leader Shakespeare Mukoyi for Khupe". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  3. ^ Moyo, Jeffrey; Cowell, Alan (14 February 2018). "Morgan Tsvangirai, Longtime Foe of Mugabe in Zimbabwe, Dies at 65". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  4. ^ "A crackdown in Zimbabwe exposes the instability of the Mnangagwa regime". The Economist. 9 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Chamisa names Ncube, Komichi as deputies, MDC re-unites". 11 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Zimbabwe opposition MDC party elects Nelson Chamisa as leader". www.aljazeera.com.
  7. ^ "MDC Alliance a party: Court". 28 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Chamisa loses MDC Alliance name to Mwonzora". 29 August 2021.
  9. ^ Njanike, Ndatenda (3 September 2021). "Zimbabwe: 'Respect Us' - Mwonzora Warns Chamisa over Use of MDC Alliance Name". New Zimbabwe.
  10. ^ "Chamisa's MDC Alliance Rebrands To Citizens' Coalition For Change – Pindula News".
  11. ^ Ntali, Elia (24 January 2022). "Breaking News: Chamisa Rebounds With New Party Name".
  12. ^ Media, Gambakwe (24 January 2022). "BREAKING: Chamisa announces new party name - Citizens Coalition for Change".
  13. ^ Newsday (24 January 2022). "Chamisa party rebrands". NewsDay Zimbabwe. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Khupe pushes CCC, Chamisa – DailyNews".
  15. ^ "Biti Romps to Victory – ZimEye".