By Political Reporter
The MDC Alliance has reportedly postponed the restructuring of its cell and district structures in Bulawayo following reports of clashes pitting that party’s Bulawayo Vice Chairperson Felix Mhaka and the Province’s Organizing Secretary, Helen Zivira.
According to a source who spoke to this publication, Zivira texted MDC Alliance members in Bulawayo advising them that there will only be gap filling instead of the total restructuring of the cell and district structures.
Mhaka then called for a meeting and reprimanded Zivira for not consulting other party members on how the restructuring exercise should be conducted.
“Zivira as the Organizing Secretary had informed members that no restructuring will be done in the province except gap filling of the affected structures. This did not go well with Mhaka who felt that Zivira was overstepping her mandate as she had communicated with the structures before consulting with her seniors. Mhaka then called for a meeting where he reprimanded Zivira for defying party protocols by communicating with structures without clearance from the Provincial leadership,” said the source.
The same source added that Mhaka and other party members were of the view that the MDC Alliance Bulawayo structures have been infiltrated by MDC T sympathizers, hence they should be restructured to flush out the infiltrators.
At the same meeting, Lobengula district chairperson, Smart Ziwada, also accused Zivira and spokesperson Swirthern Chiroodza of destroying the party by allowing MDC T supporters to remain in the structures.
Ziwada further accused National Executive Committee member (NEC) Arnold Batsirai and legislator Gift Banda of being MDC T members.
According to the source, the meeting failed to reach a decision on how the restructuring exercise should be conducted. Mhaka then ordered that all restructuring exercises in Bulawayo be postponed indefinitely pending a decision on the way forward from the National Organizing Secretary, Amos Chibaya.
Analyst Godfrey Magombedze said the challenges in the restructuring process of the MDC-A structures in Bulawayo was a clear signal that factionalism was rife in the party as members could not agree on how they can restructure the cell and district structures.
Meanwhile, a source from the MDC Alliance also told this publication that the party’s resolution to penetrate rural areas was facing a brick wall as most rural people were distancing themselves from the party.
Failure to penetrate rural areas has been interpreted by Magombedze as a signal for the dwindling support base of the opposition outfit.
