by Christopher Makaza
An exodus of senior members has rocked the beleaguered MDC faction led by Nelson Chamisa, with members flocking to Dr Thokozani Khupe`s faction to secure positions, an MDC top official has revealed.
Posting on MDC Nelson Chamisa 2020 WhatsApp group, MDC-Alliance Deputy National Spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka bemoaned the development revealing that senior party members who included Gift Chimanikire, James Makore, Cephas Makuyana among others have since left for Khupe.
Tamborinyoka highlighted that there was need to urgently counter MDC National Chairman, Morgen Komichi and MDC Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora`s activities.
“Let`s plan properly our party hama dzangu yapindwa na pongwe (our party has been infiltrated). We must properly plan and counter the Komichi and Mwonzora rebellion with the speed it deserves. Many people are deserting us and joining the rebels in their numbers. What pains most is that most of the founder members of our party from ZCTU are moving out,” said Tamborinyoka.
On that note, former MDC-Alliance Vice President, Tendai Biti had since activated former MDC president Nelson Chamisa`s hit squad to disrupt any Khupe and Mwonzora’s public meetings and to pounce on anyone who attempts to seize the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (MRTH) including the law enforcement agencies who might be called to enforce the Supreme Court ruling.
According to Tamborinyoka, former MDC Harare Senator Anna Chimanikire, former Provincial Assembly Chairperson for Chitungwiza Mushayi and former youth Vice Chairman Shakespeare Mukoyi have also left Chamisa faction.
Tamborinyoka further revealed that several MDC sitting House of Assembly members, councillors and mayors are nicodimously talking to Douglas Mwonzora with some donating money privately for the extraordinary congress ordered by the Supreme Court.
“In Mashonaland Central, East and West, all our party members who were frustrated during the provincial congresses that were rigged are all gone. They have all left the positions they were allocated from National Executive to provinces. In Masvingo, some members of the suspended provincial executive are now working with Komichi and Mudzuri to go to the congress,” said Tamborinyoka.
Recently Mwonzora revealed to one of the local daily papers that response for the congress was overwhelming and that it will be oversubscribed as thousands of delegates had already confirmed their attendance.
Re-instated Mashonaland East Chairperson, Piniel Denga accused Chamisa of acting contrary to principles of democracy. Posting on his Facebook page, Denga highlighted that Chamisa`s camp was afraid that if things were done according to the party constitution, they might lose their influential positions.
Denga contested for the leadership of the province at the MDC`s chaotic congress that was held in Gweru last May, but lost to Antony Mutodza.
Chamisa and his close allies are in a predicament and do not know which route to take. The faction has three options; 1) to respect the Supreme Court ruling and prepare to contest positions at the extra ordinary congress; 2) to disregard the ruling and continue as if nothing has happened and lose the party assets or 3) to form, a new party altogether which will obviously negatively affect them come the 2023 general election as they have been riding on the MDC brand.
