by Innocent Mujeri
Leader of the MDC Alliance, Nelson Chamisa is being accused by one of his deputies, Tendai Biti, for selling out that party’s vice chairperson, Job Sikhala to the police in order to consolidate his power, the Harare Post can exclusively reveal.
Sikhala was arrested last Friday at Sarah Mahoka’s house in Tynwald North, where he was hiding from the police who were keen on interviewing him concerning allegations that he incited people to violently demonstrate against the Government.
Biti is believed to have been angered by Sikhala’s arrest and has openly accused Chamisa of being behind the arrest of the vocal Sikhala.
A source within the MDC Alliance told this publication that Biti and Chamisa were no longer on talking terms as the former openly confronted Chamisa for working with some youths within the party to sell other members to the police.
The source further said Chamisa could have plotted the arrest of Sikhala because he has been feeling insecure with the popularity that Sikhala was getting from his confrontational politics.
Chamisa is also being accused by Biti for working with Jim Kunaka to politically eliminate Sikhala by informing the police of Sikhala’s whereabouts.
According to the source, Chamisa was furious at Sikhala who was now portraying himself as a more militant and braver leader and the only way to stop Sikhala was to politically eliminate him through an arrest.
According to the same source, Biti recently briefed some Western diplomats that Chamisa is now becoming a stumbling block to their project of removing ZANU PF from power.
“Biti told the Western diplomats that the MDC Alliance cannot achieve its goal of removing ZANU PF from power if it’s being led by an immature and divisive leader like Chamisa,” the contact said.
Biti is also believed to have told the Western diplomats that Chamisa no longer had support of the MDC Alliance members and that might be the reason he is now pushing for dialogue with President Mnangagwa so that he can be accommodated in the Government.
According to the source, Biti also told the Western diplomats that “Sikhala was not hallucinating when he said that there are people who want to kill him, while in remand prison”.
According to Biti, there is a plot being spearheaded by Chamisa and some MDC Alliance members to poison Sikhala and later blame the prison authorities for his death.
The source said Sikhala was also aware of this plot, but he could not tell the magistrate that Chamisa is planning to eliminate him for fear of causing chaos within the party.
However, members who are now fed up with Chamisa’s immature politics are now planning to form another political party to contest in the next general elections.
This new party will incorporate some G40 and Gamatox members. The source revealed that former ZANU PF Mashonaland East Provincial Chairman, Ray Kaukonde is reportedly in constant contact with Biti. He said the two were laying the groundwork for either the formation of an alternative political party or a massive challenge to Chamisa’s candidature at their next elective congress.
