By Claver Nyuki

MDC National Chairperson, Tabitha Khumalo has fired salvos at her party leader, Nelson Chamisa, accusing him of being egocentric after failing to visit or enquire about her and other detained activist’s welfare following their incarceration on 17 August 2019 for mobilising and partaking in an illegal demonstration.

A source who spoke to the Harare Post revealed that Khumalo was addressing a Provincial Assembly meeting in Bulawayo over the weekend and questioned how Chamisa would visit convicted Chief Ndiweni at Khami prison on 24 August but fail to accord her the same courtesy.

She said, “I find it hard to swallow that he found time to visit Chief Ndiweni at Khami prison but fail to do the same to me or even to just enquire about my welfare and that of the other arrested and detained activists.

“What is worse is that he did not even notify the provincial leadership that he was going to be in the province.”

The accusations by Khumalo follows similar allegations leveled at Chamisa by that party’s Vice President, Tendai Biti and the party’s spokesperson, Daniel Molokele during the National Executive meeting held last month in Masvingo in which Chamisa was castigated for not visiting the party Deputy National Chairperson, Job Sikhala in prison who was facing treason charges.

Khumalo also accused the party of being monotonous, claiming that the grassroots and general membership was no longer interested in party programmes; a sentiment shared by the in fire MDC Chegutu mayor, Henry Muchatibaya.

“The general membership of the party is no longer interested in party activities because it’s becoming too monotonous as evidenced by the recent door-to-door campaign to mobilize for the demonstrations which was snubbed by the people,” Khumalo said.  

Khumalo also accused some unnamed party officials whom she alleged to be leaking information to the Police which she claimed led to her arrest.

“I have evidence that there are some party officials who are supplying the Police with information about our operations. The Police revealed to me that they have informants within our ranks,” she declared.

Khumalo also threatened to dissolve the provincial assembly executive, accusing it of incompetency and questioned why they failed to visit the arrested activists and enquiring about those abducted and tortured.

Supporting Khumalo, MDC Nketha constituency legislator, Mpelela Masuku accused the provincial assembly of being unfit for office and claimed that the provincial executive members are beneficiaries of the rigged elections. 

In response to Khumalo and Masuku, Bulawayo provincial assembly chairperson, James Sithole, dismissed the allegations leveled against them and implored that during any struggle, there are casualties.

He added that Khumalo is too self-centered and has no ethical ground to lay allegations against his executive and also revealed that the executive had mobilised resources to pay for bail for six of the arrested activists.

Khumalo is said to have walked out during Sithole’s speech.

Fissures within the MDC leadership is not new, reports of a rift between Chamisa and Biti are circulating on social media with reports that that party’s perennial donors are supportive of Biti’s bid to stand for the Presidential elections in 2023 in place of Chamisa.

Reports of plans by Chamisa to recall his other deputy, Professor Welshman Ncube are circulating, with claims that Chamisa is accusing Professor Welshman Ncube of undermining him in Matabeleland.

Considering that Khumalo was one of Chamisa’s fiercest supporters in the drum up to that party’s elective congress, the recent fallout is attributed to claims that Khumalo got wind of Chamisa’s plan to recall her from her post of leader of House of Assembly with the intention to replace her with his preferred candidate.