Political Reporter

Fresh factional fights have emerged in the MDC Alliance Bulawayo Provincial structures following revelations that a clique of that party in Bulawayo are pushing for the ouster of James Sithole as the provincial chairperson on allegations of hobnobbing with the Douglass Mwonzora led MDC T.

A source within the MDC Alliance confided in this publication that Sithole was under fire for allegedly double dipping and secretly attending the MDC T meetings.

“There is a plot by some members of the Provincial Executive to pass a vote of no confidence in Sithole’s leadership. Sithole is being accused of sympathising with the MDC T and secretly attending the MDC T meetings. As it stands, Sithole’s membership in the MDC Alliance is hanging by the thread as some members of the National Standing Committee (NSC) are also pushing for his ouster and subsequent expulsion from the party,” said the source.

The same source added that investigations into Sithole’s alleged acts of misconduct are almost complete and he is likely to be found guilty as there is enough evidence that proves Sithole’s support for Mwonzora.

According to the same source, the MDC Alliance in Bulawayo is afraid of passing a vote of no confidence in Sithole as he controls the majority of the provincial members.

“As much as they want to oust Sithole, they are afraid that the vote of no confidence might not succeed as Sithole is believed to control the majority of the provincial members. They are now planning to have him expelled for his lack of loyalty to Nelson Chamisa and the MDC Alliance,” added the source.

The source added that there are people who are accusing Sithole for bad mouthing Chamisa and they want Sithole be expelled for that.

“There are people like Nicola Watson who are saying that Sithole accused Chamisa and the party of not financially supporting him during the 2018 elections. Watson is saying Sithole is a man of divided loyalty, hence he should be expelled from the party,” said the source.

Provincial Organising Secretary, Hellen Zivira is allegedly spearheading the onslaught of Sithole. Zivira, the source said, blocked people from attending the voter registration mobilisation exercise on Tuesday. She instructed the security manning the party’s provincial offices to deny members entry.

Efforts to get a comment from Sithole were fruitless as he was not picking up his phone.