Political Reporter

Battle lines have been drawn between MDC- Alliance president Nelson Chamisa and one of his deputies, Tendai Biti over the recent decision by the former to forego primary elections and let communities choose their parliamentary candidates for 2023 elections.

A source within the MDC Alliance told this publication that Biti, together with other members of the Maruva cabal, are resisting the machinations by Chamisa to impose his preferred candidates as a way of consolidating his powers within the party.

The source revealed that Biti’s allies have already started campaigning for the primary elections in clear disregard of Chamisa’s suggestion that the party should forego primary elections.

“Already Biti has selected his close allies to go on the ground and campaign ahead of 2023. Last night (last Sunday), a Biti aligned candidate, Isheanesu Moyo, distributed fliers in Mbare and is targeting to dethrone Starman Chamisa as the Mbare legislator,” said the source.

The source added that Moyo, who is a UZ lecturer and former Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) spokesperson, is Biti's close friend and has been given the green light to campaign ahead of 2023 elections.

The source told this publication that Biti had been criss-crossing the country laying the ground work for his 2023 preferred parliamentary candidates.

“Biti is not stopping. He is busy building his empire within the MDC Alliance and has been going around the country laying the ground work for his preferred 2023 parliamentary candidates. As it stands, Biti’s faction has an upper hand, that’s why Chamisa suggested foregoing primary elections because, he got the intelligence that most party structures are now supporting Biti,” said the source.

According to the source, there are serious tensions between Chamisa and Biti and this has seen the emergence of the Maruva cabal that is plotting to dethrone Chamisa as the leader of the opposition outfit. Biti and his allies are of the view that Chamisa is a weakling, who should not be at the helm of the party and they are plotting to remove him as the party leader before the 2023 plebiscite.

Biti is believed to have captured many party structures, particularly in Bulawayo, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central and East and he is getting separate reports from the provincial chairpersons of these provinces.