MDC chairman dumps party days after appointment to Zimbabwe Media Commission

Days after being appointed to the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC), Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) chairman Tapiwa Mashakada has dumped the opposition party.

Mashakada is among the commissioners who were recently appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to the new ZMC board.

In a letter to MDC president Douglas Mwonzora, Mashakada says he has dumped the opposition outfit as a result of the impartiality required of a commissioner without political inclination.

“I hereby formally advise you of my decision to step down as National Chairman of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and to resign my membership of the Party with immediate effect.

“This decision follows my appointment as a Commissioner of the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC), a Chapter 12 Constitutional institution whose mandate requires Commissioners to discharge their duties independently, professionally, impartially and without political affiliation,” said Mashakada.

Mashakada’s appointment to the ZMC board was criticised by some opposition members who accused him of “selling out” by being President Mnangagwa’s appointee.

The MDC chairman said due process was followed in his appointment to the commission.

“The Parliament of Zimbabwe Standing Rules and Orders Committee (SROC) advertised vacancies for Commissioners of the Zimbabwe Media Commission in the last quarter of 2025.

“I applied for the position and was subsequently shortlisted for public interviews conducted by the SROC of the Parliament of Zimbabwe.

“Following the interview process, I was recommended by the Standing Rules and Orders Committee to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr E. D. Mnangagwa, for appointment as a Commissioner of the Zimbabwe Media Commission.

“His Excellency the President assented to my appointment and appointed me a Commissioner of the Zimbabwe Media Commission on 12 September 2026, in terms of Section 248(1)(b) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” read the letter.

He added: “I wish to place on record my appreciation for the opportunity to have served the Party and its membership in various capacities over the years.

“I remain grateful for the many years of service and the experiences that have shaped my public life. My resignation is therefore a matter of principle and constitutional propriety, and should not be construed as arising from any personal animosity or ill will towards the Party or its leadership.”

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