By Favour Matenga
Sharp differences over MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa’s leadership style are threatening to split the party as his deputies are getting fed up with his despotic tendencies that they are now opting to snub his meetings to register their displeasure, a source close to the party presidium revealed.
A member of the party’s youth assembly who spoke on condition of anonymity disclosed that MDC vice president, Professor Welshman Ncube had stopped attending Chamisa’s meetings and functions citing Chamisa’s childish antics and dictatorial leadership of the party.
“Some of Chamisa’s top lieutenants are not happy with him and his leadership. Prof Ncube, for example, is very unhappy with the way that he is making decisions pertaining to the party. Post the 2018 election he meddled with the mayoral selection process in cities and towns such as Victoria Falls, Chitungwiza and Masvingo which is unbecoming of a leader of a party that is supposed to demonstrate that it believes in and lives the principle of democracy,” the source said.
Although Chamisa manipulated the party’s internal democracy by forcing his way into getting Ncube elected for one of the party’s three vice presidents’ position despite the Bulawayo province’s stance that he was “not presidential material,” Ncube has become so unhappy with Chamisa that he has stopped attending his meetings and is weighing his options.
“When did you last see Ncube at Chamisa’s events? Last Wednesday Chamisa addressed MDC members and the media at Morgan Tsvangirai House on his provincial tours and the way forward. Did you see Ncube there? Even when deputy national chairman, Job Sikhala was acquitted of treason charges by the High Court in Masvingo in mid-February was Ncube there with other national leaders to support Sikhala? He was not. He is fed up with Chamisa’s theatrics and dictatorship,” he said.
It also emerged that Ncube was miffed by Chamisa’s intention to replace the party’s national chairperson, Tabitha Khumalo as the leader of the opposition in Parliament with Lynette Karenyi arguing that the latter is more senior. The intended move is being interpreted in the Matabeleland region as tribal meant to side-line people from the region from positions of power.
“Kana iri nyaya yaTabitha, Ncube is livid. Tabitha and Ncube might not be the best of friends since the former was not happy with the return of the latter to the MDC, which threatened her seniority in the region, but on this issue they both feel Chamisa has the tendency to use people from the region to secure votes only to dump them when polls are over,” the source disclosed.
Ncube is not alone in his disenchantment with Chamisa. His fellow co-vice president, Tendai Biti is equally disappointed with the MDC leader.
“It is known that Biti is after Chamisa’s position. In addition to this, he is very angry with Chamisa given the way that he is going around the country suspending provincial executives that he feels are not pushing his interests with the James Gumbi-led Masvingo provincial executive being an example.
“Chamisa is also targeting perceived pro-Biti mayors hence Victoria Falls mayor, Somvelo Dlamini’s summary dismissal from the party this week. Yes, people are saying he was fired because he welcomed (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa in Victoria Falls but is he the only MDC official who has been seen close to him? Why was Harare’s Herbert Gomba not fired for standing next to or interacting with (President) Mnangagwa in various public events?” the source queried rhetorically.
The source also pointed out that so bad were relations between Biti and Chamisa that the matter was now playing out in the public.
“If you watched the video footage of celebrations in Masvingo after Sikhala’s acquittal in Masvingo you may have noticed that Chamisa remained glum while other leaders were jubilant as Sikhala is a Biti person. It had to take Biti to force him to reluctantly celebrate. That’s how bad things have become in the MDC. Our major worry as members is that this may lead to another split and we can’t afford that ahead of 2023,” he said.
