INTERNAL strife is threatening the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC
ahead of its 20th anniversary celebrations amid reports of sharp divisions
emerging over the strategy the opposition party should employ to face off
against the well-oiled Zanu PF and government machinery.
Insiders told NewsDay that the party was worried over its
recent poor showing in by-elections, the thwarted demonstrations and disharmony
in the party, particularly by loyal party members who felt hard-done after
failing to secure appointment into the party’s national executive.
“There are concerns over how the party is being run. More
concern was on how we are failing to run the party at a time when the economy
is collapsing. We should be using the public sentiment to our advantage; the
party keeps losing to Zanu PF,” a highly-placed source said.
The tensions have seen party leadership turning against
each other with knives going out to former secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora,
who faces disciplinary action for travelling with Zanu PF MPs to Sweden for
re-engagement meetings.
Sources said the party has appointed vice-chairman Job
Sikhala to conduct a disciplinary hearing against Mwonzora, who is now accused
of fronting a Zanu PF agenda and nudging the MDC towards dialogue whipping
sentiments against demonstrations.
Sikhala said he was not aware of the charges against
Mwonzora.
“Nothing that I know at the moment. If there is anything
that will come we will cross the bridge when we get there,” he said.
Mwonzora, who is MDC deputy secretary of international
relations, travelled to Sweden with Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob
Mudenda, Kindness Paradza, Joshua Sacco of Zanu PF and Priscilla
Misihairabwi-Mushonga of MDC-T for a re-engagement diplomatic mission, which
has angered some of his peers in the party.
On return, he presented a report to the party, detailing
the outcomes of the meetings in which the parliamentary team met officials from
Sweden’s Foreign Affairs ministry, the Speaker of the Swedish Parliament,
officials from the ruling Social Democratic Party, the secretary-general of the
Olof Palme Centre as well as the representatives of the Swedish Trade Union
Confederation.
He is accused of having joined Zanu PF in pushing for the
removal of sanctions during the meetings, an allegation Mwonzora has since
denied.
In his report, Mwonzora said the Swedish government told
Mudenda’s delegation that they would only support Zimbabwe if President
Emmerson Mnangagwa held talks with Nelson Chamisa and genuine reforms are put
on the table.
Mwonzora has since denied any wrongdoing, saying he will
wait to hear from his party, but remained loyal to the cause, the leadership
and the constitution of the MDC.
“I have not committed any offence at all. I have followed
all the procedures to the book and I have submitted my report to the party. The
European Union lifted sanctions against Zimbabwe a long time ago and as far as
February 19 they indicated that they were not going to re-impose the sanctions.
As far as I know only the late (former President) Robert Mugabe and his wife
and the Zimbabwe Defence Industries are still on EU active sanctions, the
former army personnel Constantino Chiwenga and Perrance Shiri, including army
general Phillip Valerio Sibanda are on the inactive list,” he said.
MDC deputy spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka denied the
reports that the party was in turmoil, saying it remained united and would
continue with demonstrations to ensure that political pressure piles on
Mnangagwa.
“We have caused a seismic shift in the politics of this
country. We came up with our Reload policy document as a leadership and that
document has caused a seismic shift in the politics of this country and Mr
Mnangagwa is panicking,” he said.
“We actually launched our demonstrations in major cities which
were proscribed. Zanu PF is fearful because on the ground we have massive
support. So we have a thought leadership and I can tell you we achieved a lot
of things through those demonstrations even though they were banned. But I tell
you we showed that we have a lot of traction in the country.”
Tamborinyoka said the national executive was working in
common purpose.
“We are very united at the cockpit level, very, very
united. We are a cohesive unit. President Chamisa is out of the country on a
diplomatic offensive. That is just smoke without fire, teargas is smoke, but
there is no fire,” he said. Newsday
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