 | This article'sfactual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(July 2016) |
Movement for Democratic Change | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Welshman Ncube |
| Founded | October 2005 (2005-10) |
| Dissolved | 2018 |
| Split from | Movement for Democratic Change |
| Merged into | Movement for Democratic Change – Alliance[1] |
| Youth wing | MDC National Youth Assembly |
| Women's wing | MDC National Women Assembly |
| Ideology | Democratic socialism Social democracy Pan-Africanism |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| Colours | Green |
| Website | |
Official website | |
TheMovement for Democratic Change – Ncube (MDC–N) was aZimbabwean political party led by politician and attorneyWelshman Ncube. It was founded in 2005 when theMovement for Democratic Change split apart and in the2008 general election, it was known as the Movement for Democratic Change – Mutambara (MDC–M) in contrast to the largerMovement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC–T). The MDC–N and the MDC–T operated as separate opposition parties until their re-unification in 2018. The re-united party now operates under the original name, theMDC.[2]
TheMovement for Democratic Change (MDC) was founded in 1999 as anopposition party to theZimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party led byPresidentRobert Mugabe. The MDC was formed from many members of the broad coalition of civic society groups and individuals that campaigned for a "No" vote in the2000 constitutional referendum, in particular theZimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. The MDC is thus a Social Movement not a political party. It was formed out of a social consensus hence its diverse ideological strands. Social Democracy became a uniting ideology for all the various groups who formed the MDC.[3]
Following the2005 Senate election, the party had internal divisions whether to participate in the Senate or not. There was no consensus in the party's National Executive. The National Council convened in Harare at Harvest on 12 October 2005 and voted for participation after secret ballot.[4] Morgan Tsvangirai did not accept the result decision of the National Council and was finally expelled by the National Council on 6 January 2006.[3]
In July 2006, after attending a political meeting in the Harare suburb of Mabvuku, MPTrudy Stevenson was attacked[5] and sufferedpanga wounds to the back of her neck and head. The MDC leadership immediately claimed that the attack was carried out by ZANU militants. However, while recovering in hospital, Stevenson identified her assailants as members of a rival faction of the MDC.[6][3]
In the2008 presidential election, the President of MDC ProfArthur Mutambara backedSimba Makoni.[7][8]
In the lead up to the2018 Zimbabwean general election, the MDC-N joined an electoral coalition withMovement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC–T) and other political parties which was called theMDC Alliance.[9] After that election, the MDC-N, thePDP and the MDC-T re-united under the original party name, the MDC.[10]
