Political reporter
Factional wrangling within the MDC Alliance is escalating with a clique code-named ‘Kensington Cabal’ working tirelessly to wrestle the reins from the youthful leader, Nelson Chamisa.
The Kensington Cabal, which is reportedly led by that party’s vice leader, Tendai Biti, has such members as Happymore Chidziva, Murisi Zwizwai, Amos Chibaya and Chalton Hwende among others.
A source within the MDC Alliance said the faction was christened Kensington Cabal because they hold their clandestine meetings at Kensington Shopping Centre in Milton Park, Harare.
“This cabal is well resourced and we wonder where they are getting the money from. We know there is a hand of a foreign mission in the funding of this project but as the youth, we are the vanguard of the revolution and we will defend our president (Chamisa) to the last man,” said the source who is within the National Youth Assembly executive.
He said although most of the youths were aligned to Chamisa, their chairman, Obey Sithole’s allegiance was dubious.
“Very soon you will see some sweeping changes in our national youth assembly executive. Sithole cannot continue to lead us, he is a sell-out. Ostallos (Gift Siziba, Secretary General of the MDC- A National Youth Assembly) is a better leader and this is a view shared by most of the youth,” said the source.
He added that the trio of Joana Mamombe, Cecelia Chimbiri and Netsai Marowa had been recruited by the cabal. He said the trio was now avoiding other youths and was constantly holding secret meetings with Hwende.
He slated Chidziva whom he accused of using his previous position as the youth chairperson to recruit youths to the cabal. He said some youths were promised positions in the envisioned renewed youth assembly.
“Chidziva is spreading falsehoods about us. He lied that we are fighting his rural mobilisation programme. Siziba is going to expose them soon. He (Siziba) is in possession of a conversation in which Chidziva, Chibaya and Zwizwai disparaged Chamisa as a weak leader. One of them actually said ‘Chamisa atirasa takatarisa apa tisu takamuisa pahupresident,” said the source.
The MDC Alliance has been dogged by infighting ever since the High Court nullified the leadership of Chamisa. The embattled leader has been accused of purging the veteran members of the party in favour of the Johnnies-come-lately.
Douglas Mwonzora and other veterans of the Morgan Tsvangirai epoch, dumped the youthful leader and reverted to the original MDC T. The side-lining of the old guards continued even after the departure of Mwonzora et al and a new party, which seems to have the backing of some foreign countries.
