By Christopher Makaza
Latest resolutions made by MDC Provincial Executive Councils (PEC) in most provinces across the country to bar members aligned to MDC Vice President, Elias Mudzuri and Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora from attending meetings and remove them from structures in a bid to ring-fence the party`s president, Nelson Chamisa ahead of the congress, has fuelled more factionalism within the already distressed opposition party.
In a Bulawayo PEC meeting held during the weekend, several members allegedly aligned to Mudzuri and Mwonzora were barred from attending the meeting that was meant to nominate candidates for a by-election for local authority in Bulawayo.
One of the affected members who preferred anonymity due to fear of victimisation said the meeting almost degenerated into chaos after barred members viciously complained that the move was meant to elbow them from contesting in the forthcoming by-elections.
Similarly in Chinhoyi, the party`s Mashonaland West Provincial Chairman, Ralph Magunje ejected Chegutu West District Assembly Organising Secretary, Trymore Zhanda and District Secretary, Thomas Mahachi for allegedly supporting Mudzuri.
During the meeting, Magunje highlighted that those who contested as Independent candidates during the 2018 harmonised elections and their supporters must be suspended and that all Mudzuri and Mwonzora supporters who are holding secret meetings must be demoted.
In utterances that betrayed MDC`s involvement in the recent violent demonstrations that claimed lives of innocent people and destroyed property worth million of dollars, Magunje applauded Mashonaland West Provincial Secretary for Information and Publicity, Richard Vhitirinyu for successfully mobilising party youths during the violent demonstrations.
Last week MDC Secretary for Domestic Affairs, Lilian Timvious at a district meeting held in Zvishavane bragged that she, with the assistance of Chitungwiza North legislature, Godfrey Sithole were chief mobilisers of the 14 to 16 January violent demonstrations, contrary to Chamisa`s claims that the MDC did not participate during the violent demonstrations .
Sithole`s video clip which went viral on social media where he allegedly called for the unconstitutional overthrow of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and inciting his supporters to loot goods during the so-called shut down. The video clip confirms Government’s position that the January 14-16 riots were not a protest against a hike in fuel prices but a larger plot to incite anarchy and dislodge the elected Head of State.
Squabbles within the MDC are mounting as time ticks towards the party`s elective congress scheduled for October this year. The party`s National Organising Secretary, Amos Chibaya has been heavily criticised by some party members for his dictatorial utterances that the party does not expect Chamisa to be challenged at the congress.
Chibaya also warned party members wishing to challenge Chamisa that they risked plunging themselves into what he termed political dustbin.
