By Staff reporter

The MDC National Women’s Assembly Chairperson, Lynnette Karenyi-Kore has hinted that the elective congress might held in abeyance for its propensity to divide the party.

The MDC congress is scheduled for May this year.

Karenyi-Kore told the Mashonaland West Provincial Assembly Executive that the party might have to forgo the congress as it has the potential to further divide the party. She claimed that the party has been infiltrated by Zanu PF.

The party’s secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora is set to challenge the party’s president, Nelson Chamisa for the presidency. Mwonzora’s presidential ambitions have attracted the accusation of being a Zanu PF project. He has been intermittently catcalled at rallies, with the latest being at Mutare ‘Thank You’ rally where Chamisa had to come to his rescue by threatening to live the rally without addressing.

The party’s co-vice president, Morgen Komichi, who visited the province with Karenyi-Kore, told the provincial executive to nominate their preferred candidates for the four positions that are up for contestation. He said the presidency was not to be contested.

Komichi, together with other Chamisa allies, are ring-fencing the presidency. The MDC vice president said anyone who contested Chamisa would do so on the bidding of Zanu PF.

 He said the national assembly members would visit provinces to verify structures in order to weed out any infiltrators. However, the intended verification process has been viewed as a ploy to flash out all pro-Mwonzora members.

During the meeting with the provincial executive, women’s assembly member, Adeline Huchu was not introduced because she is ant-Chamisa.

The crack in the party is set to widen following an affirmative decision by Chamisa to reserve one vice president’s post for a woman. Karenyi-Kore has been earmarked for the woman slot.

The new development will dampen the hopes of one of the hopefuls for the vice president’s post. Insiders say the party’s deputy chairman; Tendai Biti is likely to be the casualty of this arrangement. Chamisa is said to be distrustful of Biti who is believed to be very powerful. Biti is also believed to be the darling of the Americans.

During the Mutare rally, Biti received a hero’s welcome which was more thunderous than that of Chamisa. Biti’s growing popularity within the MDC continues to unsettle Chamisa.