Political Reporter

The MDC Alliance leadership has instructed its members to use social media responsibly, urging members who want to participate on social media to use their true identities instead of pseudonyms.

A source within the MDC Alliance told this publication that the party’s image was heavily battered on social media with some ghost accounts mercilessly attacking Nelson Chamisa and other MDC Alliance leaders.

According to the source, the MDC Alliance leadership, this year courted the assistance of the US intelligence to unmask all ghost social media accounts that were criticising and attacking that party and its leadership. However, after a thorough investigation by the US intelligence, it was discovered that most ghost accounts, especially on Twitter, that were attacking and criticising the MDC Alliance and its leadership, belonged to bonafide members of that party who were using the freedom of pseudonyms to express their opinions.

The same source added that the US intelligence did not reveal the true identities of MDC Alliance members who were using pseudonyms to attack their party, fearing for the collapse of the party if such information was revealed. However, Chamisa was told that most of his lieutenants were wolves in sheep’s clothing and was urged to compel them to use their true identities on social media.

“The investigations revealed that, contrary to the assertion that ZANU PF’s varakashi were attacking and criticising our party policies and programmes on social media, it was actually bonafide members who were hiding behind ghost accounts to attack the party and its policies. Chamisa was told by the US Embassy that he should be alert as most of the people who were attacking him on social media were members of his party who were pushing their factional agendas,” said the source.

The MDC Alliance is currently embroiled in factional fights and rival factions have resorted to social media using pseudonyms so that they can freely attack the other camps without fear of retribution.