Political Reporter
…. as factional fights escalate
Blows were traded at an MDC Alliance mobilization meeting in the volatile Bulawayo province on Sunday forcing that party’s provincial secretary, Ernest Rafamoyo, to flee in order to save himself from the angry crowd who were baying for his blood.
A source who spoke to this publication said Rafamoyo was among officials who were deployed by the MDC Alliance to spearhead a mobilization programme in Nketa District, however the people angrily accused him of abusing his post as the provincial secretary for administration to divide the party in Bulawayo.
“There was chaos in Nketa district last Sunday as members refused to be addressed by Rafamoyo accusing him of being a divisive figure. Rafamoyo was told that he was not loyal to the party as he was hobnobbing with people who were against Nelson Chamisa. When Rafamoyo insisted on addressing the meeting, some angry youths then attacked him before they were restrained by some alert members. Rafamoyo had to flee from the meeting as people were threatening to beat him up,” said the source.
The source said that Rafamoyo was a key member of the Welshman Ncube/James Sithole faction and was currently being told what to do by Gift Banda. The source added that the people of Nketa were incensed by the fact that Rafamoyo continues to work with Banda, despite the latter being recently named in Douglas Mwonzora’s shadow cabinet.
The source further said that the MDC Alliance national leadership should swiftly resolve the chaos in Bulawayo as members are now frustrated by the continuous infighting within the province. According to the source, the MDC Alliance might fail to garner meaningful votes in Bulawayo in 2023 if the ongoing factional fights are not urgently resolved.
Bulawayo province is currently rocked by factional fights that are threatening to tear that party apart. The Lynnette Karenyi Kore led Commission of Inquiry that investigated the causes of the factional fights in the province is yet to officially announce its findings, although there are reports that the Commission accused Thabitha Khumalo of causing divisions in the province.
