by Innocent Mujeri
The MDC-Alliance leadership has bemoaned rampant apathy towards that party’s programmes, a scenario that they said was prevalent across the country.
The MDC-Alliance has been on a whirlwind tour of the country’s provinces to mobilise voters ahead of the next harmonised elections, which are due in the next three years. However, the mobilisation programme has been poorly attended as people shunned these meetings.
The apathy reached high level, when the MDC-Alliance National Executive Member (NEC) Dzikamai Mavhaire was forced to address a paltry crowd in Masvingo recently.
The meeting in Masvingo which was chaired by MDC-Alliance’s Ward 34 councillor, Bernard Chimwanga and addressed by Mavhaire turned chaotic as members took turns to complain over that party’s leadership for being insensitive to the people’s plight.
In that meeting, Mavhaire said it was worrisome that the party’s supporters are now boycotting party programmes at a time the party is desperately in need of numbers to dislodge ZANU PF in 2023.
“It’s worrisome that our supporters are now boycotting party programmes. Even if we call for a meeting, only a handful of people will attend. I’m told that even our party structures are now in shambles. How can we then win elections if our structures are in a mess like this?” Mavhaire was quoted as saying.
Mavhaire told the paltry gathering that party members should be visible on social media and should try to use church and funeral gatherings to preach the MDC-Alliance propaganda gospel.
At the same meeting, Chimwanga told Mavhaire that he should tell party leader Nelson Chamisa that people, especially the youths, are angry at the leadership for not coming up with developmental programmes to counter ZANU PF.
“You can bemoan apathy towards party programmes, but I don’t blame the people but you the leadership. You are doing little for the people. Instead you impose candidates on us. It’s worrying that the party’s leadership will determine who will be the Ward or District chairperson. That’s why people are boycotting party programmes,” Chimwanga said.
Chimwanga further said the MDC-Alliance was no match to ZANU PF, which he said was empowering its supporters with various programmes such as piggery and poultry programmes.
He also said the MDC-Alliance had failed to come up with a programme to counter the Pfumvudza programme, which was well received by many people.
Chimwanga complained to Mavhaire that the party youths were tired of being used by that party’s leadership with no rewards.
He further cited the non-payment of 2018 election agents, as some of the reasons why people were now shunning party programmes.
Mavhaire was also told by Chimwanga that the continuous infighting within the party was making some members to consider dumping the party as it was becoming more evident that the party was not an alternative to ZANU PF.
Recently, the MDC-Alliance has been trying to penetrate rural areas to lure voters ahead of the 2023 elections. However, the party is finding it difficult to mobilise people as citizens are accusing the MDC-Alliance of being a confused party.
