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IN the entire life of the MDC-T, the party has lived the life of irony, conducting themselves differently from what they claim to stand for as the so-called Movement for Democratic Change.

Instead of upholding the principles of democracy, the MDC-T has over the years violated those very tenets with violence being the preferred modus operandi in both the intra and inter party   affairs.

It came as no surprise that violence erupted at the burial of MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday as party youths allegedly aligned to vice president Mr Nelson Chamisa pounced on co-deputy president Dr Thokozani Khupe and other officials.

Their crime, Dr Khupe later explained, was trying to block Mr Chamisa’s ascendancy to the MDC-T presidency.

Mr Chamisa, Dr Khupe and Engineer Elias Mudzuri who are the party’s deputy presidents, are locked in a bitter wrangle over the control of the party, a rivalry that has culminated into physical fights.

Instead of taking the easiest route to resolve the impasse which is the holding of a congress to select Mr Tsvangirai’s successor, the party continues to bicker.

It is unfortunate that the MDC-T, a party that aspires to preside over our governance, has shown total disregard for constitutionalism that it claims to champion.

Dr Khupe in trying to prove herself as the party’s legitimate vice president on the basis of being elected at a congress, has argued that the appointment of her two fellow deputies is unconstitutional as their roles are not outlined in the MDC-T constitution.

However, in September last year the High Court dismissed a lawsuit challenging Mr Tsvangirai’s appointment of Mr Chamisa and Eng Mudzuri as party co-vice presidents.

Besides the dismissal by the courts, there is an argument within the MDC-T that the congress of 2014 gave Mr Tsvangirai more powers which he used to appoint Mr Chamisa and Eng Mudzuri.

Ironically, at the time of the congress, Mr Chamisa is said to have protested against moves to give Mr Tsvangirai more powers, a stance that strained his relations with the MDC-T leader which resulted in him losing to Mr Douglas Mwonzora in the race for the position of secretary general.

Mr Chamisa has used his “appointment” by the party’s national executive council to be the MDC-T acting president for 12 months following Mr Tsvangirai’s death as the basis to lead the party.

The appointment of Mr Chamisa has been dismissed as a fraudulent exercise and the capture of the MDC-T while others were busy mourning the death of Mr Tsvangirai.

Eng Mudzuri’s claim to the throne has been backed by Mr Tsvangirai’s family which also divided itself along the party’s factional lines.

With Mr Tsvangirai gone, the family will not wield any influence over the party processes which will also affect Eng Mudzuri’s claim to the throne.

From the above scenarios, it can be argued that the holding of the congress as soon as possible will put to rest the chaos rocking the MDC-T now.

This is the same MDC-T that has not only postured as the peoples’ advocates but has also claimed that it is willing to listen to the voice of the masses.

The party has proved beyond doubt its real character of holding people at ransom.

Just like Mr Tsvangirai invited illegal sanctions on the country to collapse the Government and cause the people to turn against the ruling Zanu-PF in the execution of their regime change agenda, violence is being used to cow rivals into submission in the battle for the MDC-T presidency.

Besides violence, sexism and tribalism have been used against Dr Khupe which is against the principles of democracy.

Dr Khupe has argued that she is being blocked from taking over the MDC-T presidency not only because of the fact that she is a woman but also because she hails from Matabeleland.

This is not the first time allegations of tribalism have been raised in the MDC-T.

In the 2005 split, tribalism was attributed to the violence that rocked the party especially targeting the late Mr Gibson Sibanda, Professor Welshman Ncube, Mr Moses Mzila Ndlovu among other officials.

A report was reportedly compiled that confirmed that indeed tribalism was a cause of the violence that rocked the party but Mr Tsvangirai allegedly ignored the results of the inquiry.

The violence directed at officials like Ms Trudy Stevenson and recently Dr Khupe also shows a total disregard for women in the party and flies in the face of gender equity and equality.

It can therefore be said that without avoidance of doubt the MDC-T is not what it is, it is not a movement for the promotion of democracy and plurality but a movement for the thwarting of all the principles of democracy.