MOREBLESSING MARANGE
MDC-T president Douglas Mwonzora says he has not spoken to Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa ever since their fallout in 2020 after the Supreme Court ruling on party leadership but added that the party’s Members of Parliament were now warming up to him.
Mwonzora said he was yet to engage Chamisa describing his party supporters as toxic mainly on social media.
In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the 2016 appointment of Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as party vice presidents by the late former party leader Morgan Tsvangirai was unconstitutional, a ruling interpreted to mean the party returned to its 2014 structures with Thokozani Khupe assuming the role of acting president.
Mwonzora then took over as leader after the party’s extraordinary congress and started what became a bruising fight with Chamisa over the party name, properties among other issues.
“I have not spoken to Advocate Chamisa, I have not been able to talk to them, the CCC, because I find them very toxic and I think on Twitter, on social media, there is a lot of hate that comes from their group,” Mwonzora said.
“We have said every time that we stand for the unity of all progressive forces in the country so whether we are going to talk to each other in the future, I do not know but what I have noticed is a change of attitude in some of them towards me. Most of their MPs are friendlier now and the level of toxicity is no longer that big and I don’t know what is going to happen,” Mwonzora said.
“You have said that I have spoken to Advocate Chamisa as if I have that obligation. We did meet but for something different, at a funeral and we did talk, we are not enemies I do not resent him at all. I do not know his attitude towards me.”
Chamisa supporters view Mwonzora as bidding for the governing Zanu PF party and in 2020 accused him of working with state institutions in wresting the party name and properties from the former MDC-T organising secretary who ultimately gave in and founded a new outfit under the CCC banner.
The former MDC-T secretary general recalled dozens of MPs and councillors loyal to Chamisa forcing a by-election in March.
On internal dynamics in his party where he is being accused of manipulating the nomination process in his favour and elbowing out party stalwarts among them incumbent national chairman and party presidential aspirant Morgen Komichi, Mwonzora said those making claims were being dishonest.
“On November we had nominations for the post of president, I was nominated unopposed, I became duly elected as president. The person who was chairing the meeting was national chairman of the party Senator Morgen Komichi whom everybody knows and was also a hopeful,” he said.
“Norest Marara was there in the national council meeting and unfortunately he did not get any nomination. Unfortunately, he took us to court and I am happy his application was dismissed for lack of basis and no merit at all.”
Marara, who stood as a candidate for the MDC-T in the March by-elections had dragged Mwonzora to court accusing him and the party of running an unconstitutional nomination process.
