By Tawanda Musariri

Political fault lines are deepening in the MDC as posturing for positions of power ahead of congress threaten the stability of the party.

The major power trigonometry is pitting Chamisa, Mwonzora and Mudzuri. Morgan Komichi, the only newcomer in the presidium is out of the power struggle, for now. Biti is closing in into the power play.

The Harare Post is reliably informed of active posturing and backyard alliances of power from party grassroots right up the party hierarchy. These things are not discussed in any formal meeting.

Meanwhile, the party is sniffing out these meetings, but with great difficulty.

Another of such nocturnal meetings has been unearthed to have been illegally convened in the sleepy town of Alaska, just outside Chinhoyi. The sole purpose of the undercover meeting being to oppose the continued stay of Chamisa at the helm. This opposition is meant to clear the way for Mwonzora.

The modus operandi of the opposition to Chamisa in favour of Mwonzora is operationalized by scuttling existing party structures and replacing them with pro-Mwonzora establishments.

The Alaska meeting, the Harare Post has it on good authority, has been attended by the controversial former Harare Councillor, Warship Dumba together with party district leadership from Chegutu and an unnamed party employee from headquarters, Richard Morgan Tsvangirai House.

This meeting has raised Chamisa's ire. Already, the Chamisa camp has drawn daggers out and is arranging a disciplinary meeting to have the fingered officials fired or demoted to nonentities. Such action will clear the path for Chamisa in his continued walk in power.

Chamisa's long axe has been wielded in Masvingo, Victoria Falls, Bulawayo and Manicaland. In the former three cities, Chamisa has vetoed down the elections of councillors into mayorship, choosing instead to cherry pick his cronies. Chamisa has not walked over these councils with desired ease as some of his manoeuvres are not always covered with the certificate of legality.

In Manicaland, Mwonzora's home province, David Chimhini is reportedly in an uninspiring relationship with Chamisa following his challenge of the Chamisa claim of having saved Mwonzora from expulsion from the party. Chimhini spilled the beans to the wrong ears that the Chamisa camp failed to garner sufficient votes to enable the passing of a resolution booting out Mwonzora.

Now disappointed by the political buoyancy enjoyed by Mwonzora, together with Mudzuri, high office pro-Chamisa loyalists are now using public embarrassment tactics of opponents the same way Mudzuri has been a target of public ridicule courtesy of the pro-Chamisa machinations.

The next few weeks would see active posturing, mudslinging and character assassinations of opposing camps.

Another bone of contention is the congress dates. Two possible dates are October and February 2019. Chamisa is for October, when he expects to have consolidated power while his opponents want to ambush him by February.

According to the MDC constitution, a new interim leader leads the party for a maximum one year following the death of an incumbent. Thereafter a congress is convened to elect a new leader. That window ends in February for Chamisa.