by Bruce Zvandasara
MDC Alliance losing presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa’s dictatorship traits ballooned to unprecedented levels as he attempts to enhance and grow his sphere of influence ahead to the much awaited 2019 Congress where he will square it off with his secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora.
Chamisa’s love to make unilateral decisions and impose conditions on the party has reached alarming levels with recent developments in which he has displayed a heavy hand on the selection of Mayors in local councils.
Harare Post has it from well placed insider sources within the MDC Alliance that Chamisa has instituted a disciplinary action against Councillors in Masvingo City Council and Chegutu Town Council for defying his directive to elect his (Chamisa) preferred candidates for mayoral posts.
Faced with the risk of falling into political oblivion, Chamisa is raring for a fight to gain advantage against his nemesis, Mwonzora in the much awaited Congress expected next year.
Sources close to Harvest House say that Chamisa was visibly angry when he convened the disciplinary meeting and fired MDC Alliance Masvingo Provincial Administrator, Peter Chigaba over accusations that he failed to apprise the leadership of a conspiracy act where it is believed that about four MDC Alliance councillors had voted for a Zanu PF Councillor for the post of Deputy Mayor,
Sources privy to the development reported that Chamisa had ordered the newly elected Masvingo City Council Mayor, Collin Maboke to resign immediately from his position and pave way for Chamisa’s preferred Ward 5 Councillor, Daniel Mberikunashe who turned out to be his nephew.
As if it’s not enough, Chamisa has ordered Selina Maridza and Tarusenga Vembo to resign from their posts as Council Committee Chairpersons and interesting to note, Chamisa spiked the disgruntled councillors’ plea to be heard and boldly declared that his word was final.
Another party insider who declined to be identified for fear of reprisals from the party’s militant group known as the Vanguard, told Harare Post that Chamisa had put in place punitive penalties to the Councillors who in Chamisa’s words had displayed, “gross indiscipline.”
“Chamisa has ordered Councillors to pay $500 by November 2018 as fine, not to hold any party position in the next coming five years and elected Mayors from Masvingo and Chegutu local councils to resign immediately,” he said.
Interesting to note, Chamisa boldly told the newly elected Chegutu local Council Mayor, Henry Muchatibaya that he was not his preferred candidate for Mayoral position as he had ordered for one Dzeka to be elected Mayor for the local council.
Seven Councillors from Chegutu Local Council; Fungai Zviito, Memory Banda, Dadirai Guyo, Jean Machingura, Henry Muchatibaya, Maphios Shumba and Revai Mhano are expected to face a similar disciplinary action faced by those from Masvingo City Council Councillors.
Two distinctive camps have arisen in the party and it has been established that Chamisa is making panicky efforts to grow his support base as it has become crystal clear that there is a camp supporting the ascendency of Mwonzora to the Presidency during the much awaited Congress in 2019.
In the meetings, Chamisa declared that there could be no Congress in 2019 as there was no vacancy in the party. This was a confirmation that Chamisa is panicking over the Mwonzora effect in the party.
