by Christopher Makaza
The beleaguered MDC-Alliance is reportedly considering fielding party leader Nelson Chamisa to contest for the presidency at the MDC-T Extra Ordinary congress slated for October this year, Harare Post has learnt.
According to the Supreme Court ruling of March, this year, Chamisa is still a bonafide member of the MDC-T, as the court ordered that the MDC-T should return to its 2014 structures and choose a substantive leader to replace the now late Morgan Tsvangirai.
Going with the MDC-T structures of 2014, Chamisa is the National Secretary for Policy and Research.
At a meeting held on 15 September in the capital and chaired by the MDC Alliance’s deputy president Welshman Ncube and attended by other senior members such as Chamisa`s deputy, Tendai Biti, Secretary General Charlton Hwende, National Secretary for Election Ian Makone and that party’s spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere, among others, the MDC-Alliance reluctantly agreed that it should go with the Supreme Court ruling and go to congress where Chamisa would contest the presidency against other contestants like Thokozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora.
According to a reliable source within the MDC-Alliance, Hwende who is Chamisa’s blue-eyed boy is pushing for Chamisa to contest and other members were railroaded into agreeing to the resolution. Hwende said that the MDC-Alliance is reaching out to some members in the MDC-T to recommend Chamisa to be that party’s president at the extra ordinary congress.
Hwende, according to the source, also revealed that in the event that the candidature of Chamisa fails, the MDC-Alliance intends to support MDC-T National Organising Secretary, Abedinico Bhebhe whom he is alleged to be a better devil than Thokozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora.
Hwende is believed to have said the party was not happy with the continued council recalls pointing out that the party would stick to its resolution to maintain silence and keep their strategies a secret until 20 September 2020, when the National Standing Committee Retreat workshop, is going to be held. He noted that it was only after the retreat workshop that the party would decide whether it will be contesting the upcoming by-elections or not.
Hwende suggested that it was prudent to contest the upcoming by-elections under the new name ,Alliance For Democratic Change,(ADC) to counter the threat of recalls.
The MDC Alliance National Organising Secretary, Murisi Zwizwai and Ncube also suggested that in the event that the rumoured swearing in ceremony of Khupe as the leader of the opposition was held before the retreat workshop, legislators should walk out of the parliament, to send a clear message to His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa that Khupe was a Zanu PF project. Biti however noted that walking out would be difficult and could not have a desired impact, since few legislators would be at parliament building, as most will be participating virtually.
Political analyst, Kundayi Masekesa said Chamisa’s plans to contest the MDC-T presidency could be aimed at countering the recall of legislators and councillors, which has crippled the beleaguered party. Masekesa went on to opine that if Chamisa is successful, it means the likes of Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube and Fadzayi Mahere would be left in the cold.
“Chamisa has always served his own self-interests. If he is successful in contesting for the party presidency at the extra-ordinary congress, as alluded to, it means all his colleagues in the MDC- Alliance will be left in the cold and I can tell you he does not care”.
