Innocent Mujeri
……as parallel structures emerge
Rampant factionalism has gripped the MDC Alliance Bulawayo Province with reports suggesting that a parallel provincial structure was created to counter that of the embattled Provincial Chairperson James Sithole.
An impeccable source who spoke to this publication said there were now two distinct factions within the MDC Alliance Bulawayo Provincial structures, with one faction being led by Sithole and the other by veteran member and businessman, Matson Hlalo.
“It’s no longer a secret that there are factions within the Province. Members are now fed up with reports of Sithole’s links to the MDC T and have since created a parallel structure to by-pass Sithole’s executive which is selling out to the MDC T,” said the source.
According to the source, the proposed provincial executive to counter that of Sithole will have Hlalo as the chairperson, Oscar Ncube as vice chairperson, Pastor Obert Manduna as the secretary, Edwin Ndlovu as vice secretary and Nicola Brown as the treasurer.
Other members of the new structure are Kwanele Bango (Vice Treasurer), Helen Zivira (Organizing Secretary),Thabile Ndlovu (Vice Organizing Secretary), Mike Carter (Secretary for Elections), Swirthern Chiroodza (Spokesperson) and Sibusiso Gumede as the deputy spokesperson.
The new Provincial structure comprises of people who were formerly members of other parties such as Progressive Democratic Party, MDC Ncube and Zimbabwe People First.
According to the source, the national organizing secretary Amos Chibaya could not wait to see the back of Sithole and has since directed spokesperson Chiroodza to expedite the removal of Sithole as the chairperson through a vote of no confidence.
Sithole is facing a barrage of attacks by members of his party who are accusing him of hobnobbing with the rival MDC T. Several attempts by party members to oust him reportedly hit a brick wall after Sithole was shielded from suspension by that party’s co vice leader, Welshman Ncube, who is reportedly leading a faction that seeks to control the whole of Matebeleland region.
