The Movement for Democratic Change — Mutambara (MDC-M) is a Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...

an political party

Political party

A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...

 led by Welshman Ncube

Welshman Ncube

Welshman Ncube is a Zimbabwean politician. He is the President of the Movement for Democratic Change – Mutambara, and since February 2009 has been the Minister of Industry and Commerce. He was elected as a member of the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe for Bulawayo North East in the 2000 election and...

.

Foundation

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was founded in 1999 as an opposition party to the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party led by President Robert Mugabe

Robert Mugabe

Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...

. The MDC was formed from many members of the broad coalition of civic society groups and individuals that campaigned for a "No" vote in the 2000 constitutional referendum

Zimbabwean constitutional referendum, 2000

A constitutional referendum was held in Zimbabwe on February 12-13, 2000. The proposed new Constitution of Zimbabwe, which had been drafted by a Constitutional Convention the previous year, was defeated. The defeat was unexpected and was taken as a personal rebuff for President Robert Mugabe and a...

, in particular the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions is the dominant central trade union federation in Zimbabwe. The general secretary of ZCTU is Wellington Chibebe and the president is Lovemore Matombo....

. The party split following the 2005 Senate election

Zimbabwean Senate election, 2005

The Zimbabwe Senate election of 2005 was held on November 26 to elect members to the newly formed Zimbabwe Senate. There were a total of 3,239,574 registered voters, of which 631,347 or 19.5% voted. Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF won in a landslide election, garnering over 73% of the popular vote, in what...

, with Morgan Tsvangirai walking against the popular decision of the National Council.

Inter-formation violence

In July 2006, after attending a political meeting in the Harare suburb of Mabvuku, MP Trudy Stevenson

Trudy Stevenson

Trudy Stevenson is a Zimbabwean politician. She was Member of Parliament for Harare North in the Parliament of Zimbabwe...

 was attacked and suffered panga

Machete

The machete is a large cleaver-like cutting tool. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet, though it is less commonly known...

 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.

Political performance

Since the split, the MDC has been gaining strength and covering a lot of ground and it is the only party in Zimbabwe that is practising Democracy as evidenced by its leadership renewal at the 3rd All people's Congress in January 2011.

2008 Presidential Election

In the 2008 Presidential Election

Zimbabwean presidential election, 2008

The Republic of Zimbabwe held a presidential election along with a parliamentary election on 29 March 2008. The three major candidates were incumbent President Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front , Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change , and...

, The President of MDC Prof Mutambara backed Simba Makoni

Simba Makoni

Simbarashe Herbert Stanley Makoni is a Zimbabwean politician and was a candidate for the March 2008 presidential election against incumbent Robert Mugabe. He was Minister of Finance and Economic Development in President Robert Mugabe's cabinet from 2000 to 2002...

.

Notable party members

• Welshman Ncube
  Welshman Ncube
  Welshman Ncube is a Zimbabwean politician. He is the President of the Movement for Democratic Change – Mutambara, and since February 2009 has been the Minister of Industry and Commerce. He was elected as a member of the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe for Bulawayo North East in the 2000 election and...
  
  , President and Minister of Industry and Commerce
  Ministry of Industry and Commerce (Zimbabwe)
  The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is a government ministry, responsible for trade in Zimbabwe and industrial policy. The incumbent minister is Welshman Ncube and the deputy minister is Michael Bimha.. Its oversees:* National Incomes and Pricing Commission...
  
  
• Edwin Mushoriwa, Vice President
• David Coltart
  David Coltart
  David Coltart is a Zimbabwean lawyer, Christian leader and politician. He was a founding member of the Movement for Democratic Change when it was established in 1999 and its founding Secretary for Legal Affairs. He was the Member of Parliament for Bulawayo South in the House of Assembly from 2000...
  
  , Senator for Khumalo Constituency and Minister of Education, Sport and Culture
  Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture (Zimbabwe)
  The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture is the government ministry responsible for primary and secondary education, sport and culture in Zimbabwe. The incumbent minister is David Coltart and the deputy minister is Lazarus Dokora.....
  
  
• Ngqabutho Nicholas Dube, National Executive Council Member; Member of Parliament for Umzingwane
• Priscilla Misihairabwi Secretary General and Minister of Regional Intergration and International Co-operation