By Tendai Matunhu
Following pressure that keeps on mounting on Nelson Chamisa to call for violent demonstrations, the MDC leader on Saturday unequivocally stated that he would not be pressured to give a signal for people to go into the streets as he was waiting for guidance from God.
Chamisa made these remarks at the memorial service of the late legislator for Glenview South, Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java where he kept on referring to himself as a spiritual leader.
According to an MDC insider who preferred anonymity, the issue of demonstrations has divided the party to the core as Chamisa is accused of not giving the signal to supporters to go ino the streets to stage violent demonstrations. He said this had made his ambitious deputy, Tendai Biti to take advantage to advance his political ambitions and exhibit himself as a better leader.
He went on to say that Biti is eating into Chamisa’s support base of strategic partners like MDC Harare Mayor, Herbert Gomba and MDC Treasurer General, David Coltart, thereby widening fissures between the two MDC top bosses.
“Chamisa is losing support because of the negative perception that he is an appendage of Zanu PF and that perception is being reinforced by his reluctance to call for the much awaited massive demonstrations to force ED (President Emmerson Mnangagwa) to step down,” said the insider.
Same insider said Chamisa was being accused of watching and doing nothing about the crumbling economy. He added that the economic challenges were hitting the hardest on the MDC supporters who are domiciled in the urban areas.
The high profile insider went on to say that the general membership of the party is not happy with Mr Chamisa’s inaction on the alleged harassment of supporters by State Security Agents.
“Mr Chamisa is being accused of folding his hands while supporters are brutalised by Security Agents. Supporters who are injured foot their own hospital bills and Chamisa does nothing, let alone visit them in hospitals,” he said.
Another insider within the national executive also said Chamisa’s greatest undoing was his arrogance.
“The problem with the young man is that he does not take advice from senior members like us. We have been advising him to engage with ED (President Mnangagwa) but he always tells us that our Western benefactors are against the dialogue,” he said.
Ironically, the British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Melanie Robinson met with Vice President Constatino Chiwenga last week Monday, and revealed that she had been trying hard to convince Chamisa to dialogue with President Mnangagwa. She promised that she would continue encouraging the youthful leader to see light in the dialogue.
The senior official also confided in this publication that he once challenged Chamisa to enter into dialogue to save supporters from the current economic hardship, unemployment, as well as declining social and health services but he refused.
Biti’s support continue to balloon. During the end of year provincial rally in Mutare yesterday, Biti’s introduction was received with wild applause, a gesture that shows his growing popularity.
