SOME MDC Alliance bigwigs are said to be making a
determined push to have the coalition’s firebrand deputy national chairperson,
Job “Wiwa” Sikhala, expelled for his radical political activities and dogged
opposition to Zanu PF and its government.
So bad is the situation said to have become for Sikhala,
that sources told the Daily News last night, that some of his comrades were
even hoping that authorities would manage to fish him out from his current
hideout.
Sikhala has been in hiding ever since authorities started
cracking down on the leaders of last month’s failed mass demonstrations.
The sources who spoke to the Daily News said senior
Alliance officials had recently discussed Sikhala’s jettisoning in the party’s
standing committee (SC) WhatsApp group — of which the combative Zengeza West MP
is a member.
Contacted for comment, Sikhala would neither deny nor
confirm the move to expel him — saying if there were such moves he would
respond to them after he had dealt with his current travails with authorities.
All this comes as the government has come under intense
local, regional and international pressure over allegations of human rights
violations by security forces following the foiled July 31 mass protests —
which Sikhala was part of the organisers.
It also comes after South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa
recently dispatched a team of envoys to meet with President Emmerson Mnangagwa
over his administration’s handling of its critics.
Sources told the Daily News that among the MDC Alliance
bigwigs who allegedly wanted to see the back of Sikhala were secretary-general
Chalton Hwende — who apparently features in the referenced SC WhatsApp group
messages.
“Wiwa is in trouble with the powers that be in the party.
This is why no one is making a real effort within to fight for him with regards
to his current victimisation by the government. Some even want him to be
arrested.
“Some of (Nelson) Chamisa’s closest allies such as Hwende
are also accusing Sikhala of using confrontational means to force Mnangagwa
into dialogue.
“They view his role in the July 31 movement as a sign that
the likes of him and other hardliners in the party no longer see dialogue as an
option, which the party is open to
“Sikhala is aware of the moves, but he maintains that the
July 31 movement is a people’s initiative and above political parties as it
even has the support of some Zanu PF bigwigs,” one of the sources told the
Daily News.
Another source said Sikhala was being viewed as a threat to
Chamisa because of his audacious call for the removal of Mnangagwa and his
government from power via mass protests.
“The feeling among many is that Chamisa is afraid to lead
from the front, and his close lieutenants are aware of hard questions that have
once again been asked of him regarding the July 31 protests.
“The more Sikhala and the likes of Tendai Biti continue to
take an aggressive approach against Mnangagwa and Zanu PF, the more question
marks on Chamisa’s leadership — hence their push for Sikhala’s expulsion,”
another source told the Daily News.
This is not the first time that Sikhala has crossed swords
with some MDC Alliance bigwigs.
Two months ago,
Chamisa barred Sikhala and some of his other most loyal associates — including
his vice presidents Tendai Biti and Lynette Karenyi-Kore — from speaking to the
media.
Then, the gag order came after Biti and Sikhala had
featured prominently in the independent press, especially the Daily News — at a
time that Chamisa was looking
increasingly out of his depth in terms of giving direction to the embattled
Alliance in its fight with Thokozani Khupe’s group.
At the time, Hwende said the gag order was consistent with
the MDC Alliance’s constitution.
“Regarding communication, the correct position is that we
are coming up with a social media protocol for the party because we cannot
regulate individuals’ social media accounts.
“We can only manage the party’s and the constitution is
clear that only the president, the secretary-general, his deputy and the
spokesperson speak on behalf of the party,” Hwende told the Daily News then.
Yesterday, Sikhala said if there were moves to expel him
from the Alliance, he would deal with them once he had finished mobilising
further mass action.
“I am currently worried about our people who are being attacked
left, right and centre, including myself, and who are living in bushes —
running away from persecution.
“If ever anything like that is happening (moves to expel
him), I will see to that when I come out.
“I accepted the role to be with others in the quest for a
corruption-free and looting-free society when people sharing the same vision
with me invited me,” Sikhala told the Daily News.
“When I accept that I will stand with you, I don’t betray
you later. I promised my colleagues … who are also under siege like me that we
shall stand together with the people of Zimbabwe and I don’t betray what I
promised.
“The demonstrations were basically citizen driven and I
agreed to be one of their spokespersons. I could have been at my Law Chambers
making money, but people’s interests supersede my personal interests,” Sikhala
said further.
In a statement that he issued earlier, Sikhala had appeared
to hint about the divisions in the MDC Alliance over his role in the protests.
“The 31st July Movement is a Convergence Initiative of
Citizens on critical and urgent issues of national concern affecting the lives
and livelihoods of ordinary Zimbabweans.
“The 31st July Movement has broad based constituencies of
all citizens, across the political divide, including those in Zanu PF who are
not happy with the deplorable state of affairs pervading our country.
“It is wrong and crass for anyone to associate my position
in the MDC Alliance with my role in this all-inclusive and broad based movement
of citizens,” Sikhala said.
“I am not playing my role on the instructions of my party
position but the role allocated to me by the stakeholders driving the 31st July
Movement. Therefore when I speak, I am speaking on behalf of the
broad citizens not on behalf of any political party.
“This is because citizen interests cut across the political
divide. That is the objective of the 31st July Movement: to unite all our
citizens.
“Zimbabwe needs unity today beyond political colour than at
any given time,” he added.
All this comes as the government has been accused of
launching a brutal crackdown against the organisers of last month’s flopped
mass protests.
Rights groups have said dozens of opposition figures and
activists have been tortured and assaulted in a retributive exercise by
suspected security agents.
On its part, the government has refuted the allegations —
claiming instead that the opposition is allegedly working with foreigners to
destabilise the country. Daily News
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