By Taurai Mazwi
The 2023 elections seem so far away, but with the speed of light unravelling of the MDC, we might reach that interesting year with no opposition party to speak of. The house that the late Morgan Tsvangirai built is fast crumpling as new factions are becoming more pronounced.
Even with the absence of Khupe in the MDC party, all is not rosy in the MDC camp as Chamisa is in perpetual fear that his vice president Tendai Biti is after his post.
New battle lines in the MDC camp are now pitting the old guard led by deputy secretary for international relations Douglas Mwonzora and Chamisa’s young blood camp. Chamisa’s young blood camp comprises of the new young and energetic members with the likes of Secretary for Education, Sports, and Culture Fadzayi Mahere and Secretary General Charlton Hwende. Chamisa’s failure as a leader is already being put to the fore as he is clueless in bridging these divisions as he is focusing on clinging on to his post as vultures continue to circle around it.
The old guard is part of the founders of MDC who started the MDC T party with the late Tsvangirai 21years ago. It is these same people that Chamisa wants ousted from the party. It has become evident that the likes of Mudzuri and Mwonzora have become extinct almost non-existent from party activities since their smart ouster at the party’s congress. The young bloods have taken centre stage and baying for old guard’s blood.
Factions within the party became clear as the 2018 MDC congress neared. With people showing their true colours, others supporting Mwonzora, some Biti and some who supported Chamisa. Chamisa’s unspoken policy seems to be; to completely decimate the old guard who might still snatch the coveted throne.
Last year in 2019, there were also clashes in Bulawayo, where those aligned to MDC national chairperson Tabitha Khumalo were denied entrance into ward congress venues by security personnel. Khumalo, who is associated with Mwonzora, was reportedly eyeing the vice presidency alongside the then vice presidents Welshman Ncube and Morgen Komichi.
These divisions are likely to see another split of the embattled party before the 2023 election further alienating the party from the national throne.
What Chamisa does not realise is that it is these same people whom he is putting his trust in who will betray him as evidenced by Biti’s ambitions to endear himself to their former paymasters at the expense of the party leader.
I beg to differ with MDC presidential spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda who claims that their party is intact and smart. Sibanda say that Zanu PF is creating the friction. Any bad news that circulates they blame it on Zanu PF. They do not want to self-inspect to deal with their issues which will eventually lead to the party’s downfall.
The factionalism has been worsened by Chamisa’s imposition of his blue-eyed councillors so as to consolidate power. In Matebeleland region, Chamisa is accused of having imposed Shona councillors instead of leaving the people to put in councillors of the Ndebele tribe.
The MDC Masvingo executive which is said to have been led by James Gumbi has also been accused of being loyal to Mwonzora. Gumbi has lost support of Chamisa because he has been aligned to Mwonzora and at this rate they might end up being ordinary members with no position in the party.
It seems Chamisa is targeting the faction aligned to Mwonzora in his utterances by suspending those he is accusing of abusing office and being corrupt. If the MDC party remains intact until the next election in 2023, it will be a miracle.
