Political Reporter
The opposition MDC Alliance has been plunged into chaos following serious disagreements regarding that party’s participation in the impending by-elections.
A senior member within the MDC Alliance confided in this publication that at a recent National Standing Committee (NSC) meeting, the party’s leadership failed to agree on the course of action to take regarding by-elections.
The same source said MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa, strongly argued that the party should not participate in any by-elections as chances of winning the same would be very slim. He reportedly said that even if they won, they would still have fewer Members of Parliament than ZANU PF.
“The president (Chamisa) argued that it would be a waste of time for the party to participate in the next coming by elections as the results of the elections will not help the MDC Alliance much. Chamisa said that the electoral field was not favourable to the MDC Alliance and it was likely that the party might be defeated if it participates in the by-elections. Chamisa said the expected defeat will give ZANU PF enough ammunition going towards 2023 elections as they would view MDC Alliance as a weak party that can be defeated,” said the source.
The source said Chamisa argued that party should keep its cards close to the chest and only reveal their electoral strategy in the 2023 plebiscites.
However, the source revealed that Chamisa’s co-deputy president, Welshaman Ncube and other NSC members opined that the MDC Alliance should participate in the by-elections, as this would afford that party a chance to gauge their support base ahead of the 2023 elections.
“VP Ncube disagreed with president Chamisa and opined that the party should participate in by-elections if they are called. Ncube said by-elections would afford the party a chance to gauge their support base ahead of the 2023 watershed elections,” said the source.
The same source said that after sensing serious disagreements between Chamisa and his deputy, the recently demoted former MDC Alliance national deputy chairperson, Job Sikhala advised that the issue of the party’s participation in the by-elections should be left to the National Elections Directorate (NED) to come up with a position paper on what course of action the party should take regarding the matter.
Following last year’s Constitutional Court ruling that the MDC Alliance was not a political party, a number of its legislators and councilors were recalled by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T and Chamisa’s faction was left with only a handful of legislators in Parliament.
