By Christopher Makaza.
The MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa says the Bulawayo Cowdray Park by-election defeat to Zanu PF was an embarrassment to the party, which will see heads rolling after the conclusion of the party`s National Organising and election report regarding the by-election.
Speaking during the National Executive Council Extra Ordinary meeting held during the weekend at Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House, Chamisa threatened that party members who are perpetrating violence and disrupting the on-going district congresses will be disciplined and possibly barred from participating in the national congress.
Political analyst, Shepherd Muchemwa who spoke to Harare Post said Chamisa was making empty threats as he was the one sanctioning the on-going countrywide intra-party violence.
“Chamisa is shedding crocodile tears, in fact he is the one funding these violence and chaos punctuating the district congresses, using the 165 000 Pounds donated to the party by a British citizen based in South Africa,” he said.
During the same meeting, Chamisa highlighted that the party`s national leadership will descend on Bulawayo to address issues regarding the intra-party violence which have resulted in the province failing to conduct district congresses.
Apparently the leadership that included Chamisa, his deputy Morgan Komichi, Tendai Biti, Jacob Mafume and Welshmen Ncube among other notables, were in Bulawayo over the weekend where Chamisa directed that all district congresses should be completed by 12 April to pave way for Provincial congress to be held on 13 April 2019.
Chamisa announced that Welshmen Ncube had handed back MDC Bulawayo offices he had grabbed during their break away in 2005.
Ncube pulled out of the MDC led by the late Morgan Tsvangirai citing intimidation and violence after the vote to determine the party`s participation in the senatorial elections sparked a row.
Chamisa urged Biti who also grabbed the MDC Mutare offices, to emulate Ncube and return the offices back to the party.
Sources within the party have however said Biti is reluctant to do so as his future in the MDC Alliance is not certain considering that his name is not featuring on the on-going nominations ahead of the party`s congress.
Chamisa further announced that their May crucial congress will be held in Gweru where they intend to invite former Botswana President Ian Khama, EFF leader Julius Malema and Zambia`s United Party for National Development (UPND), opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema.
Same revealed that they will reserve 20% of their posts to former ZCTU members.
Analysts have concluded that Chamisa is trying to pacify ZCTU after an outcry that the opposition party had alienated the labour movement from which it was born. Workers accuse MDC of doing very little to address challenges they are currently facing.
