ViewFromMatopos

There is a serious fall out between Occupy Africa Unity Square founding member, Dirk Frey and Tajamuka’s Promise Mkwananzi over the failed 1 July 2019 shutdown.

Frey has labelled Mkwananzi an opportunist, sell-out, and incompetent cadre, while Mkwananzi has hit back alleging that Frey is a victim of drug abuse who needs assistance.

In a hard hitting statement published on his Facebook page, Frey wrote: “When we, the citizens, strive to find each other and organize resistance against the regime, we must be aware that there will always be opportunists, sell outs, moles and people who are simply incompetent.”

 “If we are to be effective, we need to not only find each other and work together, we must also cut away deadwood. We must avoid and call out those amongst that, for whatever reason, impede progress. Mkwananzi, with his unimaginative and ill-conceived attempts at remaining relevant, is one of those. I bear no personal ill-will, but his attention-seeking does more harm than good.”

Frey also revealed that “at the time, Promise was spokesperson … he got honey trapped and made a mistake that, although perhaps not entirely his fault, should have been the end of his credibility. Tajamuka went defensive at the time and said it was an internal matter. It was not. That scandal put an end to contributions for everyone, not just Tajamuka. So they had a tribunal and suspended Promise.”

He added: “I thought that was the last we would hear of him. Yet he popped up again, calling himself 'leader' of Tajamuka, lovely vague yet imposing title. Giving interviews and clamouring for attention. And basically all he and whoever's left of Tajamuka have done is trying to recreate their crowning glory, the ShutDown of 2016.

“The shutdown, however, was a lucky right-thing-right-time action, and the result of wide consensus and cooperation. Tajamuka played a big role, but don't be fooled into thinking that it was exclusively their thing, or even their idea.”

In response Mkwanzanzi hit back saying, “Someone please take one vagabond by the name Dirk Frey to rehabilitation. Drugs are overpowering him.”

Mkwananzi whose political star has been on demise, cast a lone shadow at the Gweru MDC Congress.