Political Reporter
Wide cracks are allegedly beginning to emerge in the MDC Alliance with reports that the party might implode before the 2023 plebiscite.
This follows the violence that rocked the MDC Alliance in Masvingo at the weekend, with youths allegedly belonging to different factions engaging in running battles.
An impeccable source within the MDC Alliance revealed to this publication that last Saturday’s maneuvres by a section of that party’s youths to dethrone Obey Tererai Sithole as the youth leader and the running battles that ensued after the failed coup, was caused by rival factions that are fighting for the control of that party.
“There are factions within the party. There is a faction that supports Nelson Chamisa’s leadership and another faction known as the Kensington Cabal or the Maruva Cabal that are pushing for the removal of Chamisa as the party leader. This Kensington Cabal has people like Tendai Biti, Charlton Hwende, Murisi Zwizwai, Obey Sithole, Amos Chibaya, Happymore Bvondo, and Maureen Kademaunga.
“The fight that ensued in Masvingo was started by the Chamisa faction who wanted to dethrone Sithole as the Youth Assembly leader because of his alleged loyalty to the Kensington Cabal. The Kensington Cabal resisted this move and the meeting later degenerated into a fist fight that left Sithole, Siziba and other youths with bruises,” said the source.
The source added that Chamisa was aware of the Kensington Cabal’s agenda to snatch the leadership reigns from him and has since instructed people like Cecilia Chimbiri, Lovemore Chinoputsa and Ostallos Siziba to neutralize any attempt by the Kensington Cabal to take over control of the party.
“Prior to the youth meeting in Masvingo, Siziba, Chinoputsa and Chimbiri held a secret meeting with Chamisa and they agreed that Sithole, who had allegedly become rogue, should be removed from the youth leadership and be replaced by Chinoputsa. Chinoputsa then made a mistake of leaking details of that meeting to Womberai Nhende and Ian Hamandishe, top Sithole’s allies, who then told Sithole and other Kensington Cabal members to devise a counter strategy in order to protect Sithole,” added the source.
According to the source, the Kensington Cabal was feeling neglected by Chamisa who allegedly is now constantly consulting people like Welshman Ncube, Job Sikhala, Karenyi Kore and Fadzayi Mahere and relegating Hwende, Tendai Biti and Sithole to the peripheries of his trusted allies.
The source further said that as the cracks in that party continue to widen, there are fears within party members that the party might split before 2023 because of some political differences.
Efforts to get a comment from MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere were fruitless as her phone went unanswered.
