by Staff reporter
Yesterday’s intended MDC-Alliance surprise sporadic countrywide demonstrations flopped after its members refused to take part, citing lack of funding and fear of being arrested among other reasons, a contact within the opposition party has revealed.
According to the contact, the demonstrations were meant to push for by-elections in constituencies where re-calls were done by the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T. Government suspended the holding of by-elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contact revealed that the opposition leadership was divided over staging of the demonstrations with the party’s deputy leader Welshman Ncube being totally against the demonstrations, while the party’s leader Nelson Chamisa was reportedly waiting to take advantage of the demonstrations if they had succeeded.
MDC-Alliance’s youths across the provinces were reportedly reluctant to participate in the demonstrations fearing to spend the festive holiday in prison, if they were to be arrested.
Contact further revealed that some councillors who had been tasked to make some financial contributions towards the demonstrations withdrew their offer at the last hour fearing re-calls by the MDC-T.
In Bulawayo, some Provincial executive members who were supposed to organise the demonstrations in that city gave unnecessary excuses, so as to avoid participating in the demonstrations. Bulawayo Provincial Assembly Chairperson, James Sithole excused himself from the demonstrations saying he was committed with Parliament business, while his Organising Secretary Helen Ziwili Mpofu said she was in her rural area attending to private matters, hence could not attend the demonstration.
Bulawayo Provincial Youth leader, Tinashe Kambarami also refused to take part citing fear of arrest, while his secretary Raphel Sibanda complained that the demonstration issue was just imposed on them at short notice without consulting them and that it lacked funding.
Contact revealed that the demonstrations were reportedly funded by MDC-Alliance North America Provincial Chair, one named Chief Svosve in collaboration with National Women’s Assembly Secretary for Information and Publicity, Barbra Tanyanyiwa.
The two according to the contact are the ones who also sponsored political activist, Tawanda Muchehiwa to carry out his intended acts of terrorism attacks during the July demonstration.
A leaked audio recording of MDC-Alliance Bulawayo Provincial Women’s Assembly Chairperson, Tendai Masotsha revealed stunning details of how the opposition party led by Muchehiwa planned a wave of terror attacks involving burning Government buildings and faking abductions to cover up the subversive plots.
