by Staff reporter
The embattled former MDC president, Nelson Chamisa, is reportedly forcing his party legislators to sign affidavits declaring their loyalty to him.
A source, who is an MDC House of Assembly member for one of the Harare constituencies, confided in this reporter that Chamisa had designed a programme where his confidante, Charlton Hwende would go around all the provinces compelling all MDC members of Parliament and councillors to declare their allegiance to the beleaguered opposition leader.
“Already, 22 National Assembly members from Harare were made to sign the affidavits on Friday at a caucus meeting in Kensington. Of course we signed under duress as Hwende and (Tendai) Biti threatened us with expulsion. Hwende plainly told us that refusal to sign the affidavit was tantamount to automatic self-expulsion. He said by refusing to sign the affidavit, one would have send a clear message that their fidelity has wavered,” said the legislator.
He added that six of the Harare legislators evaded the meeting and did not sign. “Some MPs had gotten wind of this exercise and chose to give excuses for absence. I don’t know whether they will be made to sign but I think these guys are just fooling themselves by commandeering everybody to declare loyalty. The issue is about violation of the party constitution and one cannot win it by force,” he said.
The pre-drafted affidavit, the screenshot of which is in the possession of this publication, acknowledges Chamisa as the leader of the MDC Alliance whose structures were elected during the 2019 congress. It also acknowledges the MDC Alliance as a stand-alone political party.
At the Friday meeting, Hwende reportedly told the legislators that the councillors would also sign the affidavits. The source added that Hwende and Biti ordered every legislator to post a solidarity message on social media and a deadline for this was given as Wednesday this week.
Peeved by the command style, one legislator took to social media to express his disgruntlement. “…this is a gross human rights violation happening in our party that prides itself of being democratic,” wrote the legislator, divulging that they were forced to sign the affidavit forms in support of Chamisa.
The MDC is heading for another messy split after the Supreme Court upheld the High Court ruling which declared Chamisa an illegitimate leader of that party. According to sources, Chamisa is likely to break away with half of the membership. Insiders say Chamisa is backed by former students activists while the Mwonzora/Komichi faction is supported by former trade unionists who are the founders of the MDC.
