Political Reporter
In an action that borders on desperation, the MDC Alliance has resorted to using unorthodox tactics in a bid to lure defectors to rejoin that party ahead of the 2023 plebiscites.
A source who spoke to this publication said that the MDC Alliance was shaken by the massive defections that took place this year and has since resolved to persuade former members to rejoin the party and reclaim their previous positions.
“The party was shaken by the defection of party heavyweights to ZANU PF and other parties and the leadership has since resolved to persuade the defectors to rejoin the party ahead of 2023 elections. It was agreed that those who would come back to the party would be given their previous positions and they will not be victimized or persecuted,” said the source.
The source added that the MDC Alliance leadership agreed to reward those who would rejoin the party with a chance to represent the MDC Alliance as local authority and parliamentary candidates in the coming 2023 elections.
“Some of the former members who would rejoin the party would be rewarded with a chance to represent the party in the coming elections, either as local authority or parliamentary candidates. The idea is to portray the MDC Alliance as a united party that has no room for vengeance and victimization,” added the source.
The source further said that the MDC Alliance leadership recognized that there was some bad blood between the current leaders and the defectors and it was now hunting for a respected elderly person to broker a peace deal between the two parties. The MDC Alliance is believed to have contacted Zambia’s United Party for National Development (UPND) leadership to provide an elderly person who can intermediate between the defectors and the MDC Alliance.
According to the source, the MDC Alliance is targeting to bring back to the party the likes of former deputy treasurer Lilian Timveous, Blessing Chebundo, Tongai Matutu, Patrick Chitaka, Charles Masimiki and Angela Nyathi. Other targets are Emmanuel Chiroto, Tiripayi Chipondeni, Solomon Machingura, James Makore and Gift Nyama, among many others.
Efforts to get a comment from MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere were futile as her mobile phones were not reachable.
