THE two MDC breakaway formations led by Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti will from today operate under a new name — Democratic Union (UD) — until they hold their inaugural joint elective congress next year, NewsDay can reveal.
PAIDAMOYO MUZULU SENIOR REPORTER
The formations have been holding reunification meetings since October as the parties restructure ahead of the 2018 polls pursuant to the opposition’s dismal performance in last year’s general elections.
The new name is contained in the Reunification Agreement that will be signed today at Old Georgians Sports Club at a joint sitting of the formations’ national executive committees.
“Subject to the new constitution which will be adopted by the reunification congress, the United Movement for Democratic Change (UMDC) shall be known as the Democratic Union (UD),” clause 6.1 of the agreement says.
The new party will in the interim be led jointly by the leadership of the founding parties, Ncube and a nominee of the Renewal Team.
This is the first reunification of formations that split from the original MDC founded in 1999.
Since its formation the party split twice in 2005 and 2014 over policy disagreements among the top leadership.
