TOP MDC officials yesterday claimed that some party
provinces had already endorsed their youthful leader Nelson Chamisa (pictured)
as their 2023 presidential election candidate ahead of the opposition’s May
congress, arguing there was no need to “change the commander in the middle of a
battle”.
This was revealed by MDC vice-president Morgen Komichi,
deputy chair Tendai Biti and national organising secretary Amos Chibaya
following a consultative rally held in Chinhoyi yesterday.
In his address, Biti accused the ruling Zanu PF of
infiltrating the opposition structures and sponsoring some top executives to
challenge Chamisa at the opposition party’s elective congress.
“Zanu PF is trying to influence the MDC congress in May,
but we are not fools who can change the commander in the middle of a battle,”
he said.
Chibaya said Chamisa had already been widely endorsed to
continue as party leader.
This comes amid reports that MDC secretary-general Douglas
Mwonzora, who has shown interest in running for the presidency, was being
sponsored by Zanu PF to weaken the opposition party ahead of the 2023 polls.
But both Mwonzora and Zanu PF have denied the allegations.
Komichi told NewsDay: “The structures said it was illogical
to change leadership mid-stream, which means they were endorsing president
Chamisa’s leadership. Even in Mashonaland Central, the structures reiterated
the same thing on Saturday. There was a message that we cannot change
leadership now.”
He further claimed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had
splurged between $4 million and $6 million to destabilise Chamisa’s candidacy
ahead of the MDC congress.
Mwonzora denied reports that he had been sponsored by Zanu
PF to destabilise Chamisa’s candidacy.
“I am happy that myself and president Chamisa are working
well and waiting for the unfolding of the democratic process. I have come under
attack from some senior party members, obviously in anticipation of the
democratic process,” he said.
“This is largely the work of the Twitter politicians who
are unelectable and anticipate to be appointed by the president. I am happy
president Chamisa and myself are not engaged in unproductive hate language.
“We are working well together, but some senior leaders in
the MDC are resorting to hate language. I am going to raise this in the
national standing committee meeting we are holding this Wednesday.”
Information deputy minister and Zanu PF Goromonzi West MP
Energy Mutodi yesterday said the ruling party would not waste its resources
infiltrating MDC structures because it was already planning for the 2023
elections.
“Government is not worried who emerges the winner at the
MDC congress, be it Chamisa or Mwonzora,” Mutodi said.
“None of the two is capable of overcoming our 2023 Zanu PF
candidate President ED Mnangagwa. We have started reviving the economy and the
gains are open for everyone to see,” he said.
“Chamisa’s sympathisers are alleging that Zanu PF prefers
Douglas Mwonzora to emerge as the winner at congress. There was also a report
that President Mnangagwa had invested about $6 million to destroy MDC and to
weaken Chamisa. We see all this as a desperate attempt by the Chamisa faction
to gain an unfair advantage over rivals by trying to portray Chamisa as a victim
of Zanu PF interference.
“President Mnangagwa is not concerned who emerges as the
MDC Alliance president after congress. Although we are fully aware that Chamisa
has the backing of the deposed G40 faction kingpins such as Jonathan Moyo,
Saviour Kasukuwere, Patrick Zhuwao, Shadreck Mashayamombe and many others, we
are nonetheless confident to beat whoever we will contest against us in 2023.”
Since Chamisa took over as MDC leader, following the death
of the party founder Morgan Tsvangirai in February last year, the youthful
opposition leader has been a butt of negative publicity from both the State and
ruling Zanu PF after he gave Mnangagwa a run for his money in the July 30, 2018
elections.
Chamisa narrowly lost to Mnangagwa in an election he
claimed was rigged, and went on to lose the electoral challenge at the
Constitutional Court.
Since then, he has continued to poke holes in Mnangagwa’s
leadership, challenging his legitimacy. party ahead of the 2023 polls. But both Mwonzora and Zanu PF have denied the allegations.
Komichi told NewsDay: “The structures said it was illogical
to change leadership mid-stream, which means they were endorsing president
Chamisa’s leadership. Even in Mashonaland Central, the structures reiterated
the same thing on Saturday. There was a message that we cannot change
leadership now.”
He further claimed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had
splurged between $4 million and $6 million to destabilise Chamisa’s candidacy
ahead of the MDC congress.
Mwonzora denied reports that he had been sponsored by Zanu
PF to destabilise Chamisa’s candidacy.
“I am happy that myself and president Chamisa are working
well and waiting for the unfolding of the democratic process. I have come under
attack from some senior party members, obviously in anticipation of the
democratic process,” he said.
“This is largely the work of the Twitter politicians who
are unelectable and anticipate to be appointed by the president. I am happy
president Chamisa and myself are not engaged in unproductive hate language.
“We are working well together, but some senior leaders in
the MDC are resorting to hate language. I am going to raise this in the
national standing committee meeting we are holding this Wednesday.”
Information deputy minister and Zanu PF Goromonzi West MP
Energy Mutodi yesterday said the ruling party would not waste its resources
infiltrating MDC structures because it was already planning for the 2023
elections.
“Government is not worried who emerges the winner at the
MDC congress, be it Chamisa or Mwonzora,” Mutodi said.
“None of the two is capable of overcoming our 2023 Zanu PF
candidate President ED Mnangagwa. We have started reviving the economy and the
gains are open for everyone to see,” he said.
“Chamisa’s sympathisers are alleging that Zanu PF prefers
Douglas Mwonzora to emerge as the winner at congress. There was also a report
that President Mnangagwa had invested about $6 million to destroy MDC and to
weaken Chamisa. We see all this as a desperate attempt by the Chamisa faction
to gain an unfair advantage over rivals by trying to portray Chamisa as a
victim of Zanu PF interference.
“President Mnangagwa is not concerned who emerges as the
MDC Alliance president after congress. Although we are fully aware that Chamisa
has the backing of the deposed G40 faction kingpins such as Jonathan Moyo,
Saviour Kasukuwere, Patrick Zhuwao, Shadreck Mashayamombe and many others, we
are nonetheless confident to beat whoever we will contest against us in 2023.”
Since Chamisa took over as MDC leader, following the death
of the party founder Morgan Tsvangirai in February last year, the youthful
opposition leader has been a butt of negative publicity from both the State and
ruling Zanu PF after he gave Mnangagwa a run for his money in the July 30, 2018
elections.
Chamisa narrowly lost to Mnangagwa in an election he
claimed was rigged, and went on to lose the electoral challenge at the
Constitutional Court.
Since then, he has continued to poke holes in Mnangagwa’s
leadership, challenging his legitimacy. Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment