Moses Matenga
The MDC-T led by Nelson Chamisa has been shaken by its militant youth wing commonly known as the “vanguard” with party bigwigs saying the group has the potential to destroy the opposition political party if it is not well handled.
This comes as Chamisa is said to be under fire for opening the doors too wide for members of the ‘vanguard’ to control the party and allegedly imposing candidates ahead of elections.
The militant youths are being accused of putting the name of the MDC-T into disrepute through their propensity of using violence to address internal differences.
Among the big wigs that have been shaken by the ‘vanguard’ and crying foul over internal processes in the primary elections are party vice president Elias Mudzuri, secretary for women affairs Lynnete Karenyi, Jessie Majome and the outspoken MP James Maridadi.
Other prominent members including Thokozani Khupe, Obert Gutu, Abednico Bhebhe were forced to form a splinter group after several brushes with the ‘vanguard’.
Chamisa’s spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka says the youthful MDC-T leader is not in any way involved in the alleged imposition of candidates in the primaries.
“The President is not in any way involved,” Tamborinyoka told The Business Times.
“It is the electoral directorate that is running the show. The President has nothing whatsoever to do with that. It is a cheap attempt to link him to anything to do with this process.”
But disgruntled MDC-T officials warned of a possible implosion accusing Chamisa of imposing candidates ahead of the harmonised elections.
“We MDC-T are being cruel to ourselves in candidate selection by allowing strangers a free ride at the expense of our long serving loyal committed cadres,” complained Mudzuri.
“Those with money and connections come through the window displacing poor trusted cadres. Recipe for infiltration and destabilization.”
Mudzuri is battling for political survival after a relatively unknown Eliphas Gandi threw his hat in the Warren Park constituency.
Another heavyweight, Karenyi, was also forced to take to social media to complain over irregularities in the primary election process after she lost to Prosper Mutseyami.
Mutseyami is believed to be a Chamisa ally.
Maridadi’s Mabvuku Tafara seat was under threat from one James Chidhakwa, a youth assembly official.
Chidhakwa is part of the “vanguard” and was in 2014 arrested for assaulting then MDC-T deputy treasurer general Elton Mangoma at the opposition party headquarters in Harare.
Shakespeare Mukoyi, the de facto ‘commander’ of the ‘vanguard’, is also targeting Kuwadzana constituency.
Mukoyi bulldozed into a meeting that was being addressed by MDC-T faction leader Thokozani Khupe in Bulawayo and threatened her for allegedly wanting to destroy the party.
He was also fingered in the violence that marred the burial of Morgan Tsvangirai in Buhera in February.
Violent youths attempted to burn a hut where Khupe and party secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora had sought refuge with the youths in pursuit.
Majome is another prominent MDC-T member whose constituency is under threat from the ‘vanguard’.
She withdrew from the primaries and declared she will go it alone come July.
Former student leader, Joanna Mamombe who has the backing of the youth assembly and the militant wing, is gunning for Majome’s Harare West seat.
Insiders told The Business Times this week that party members aligned to Chamisa were working to eliminate those that pose a threat to the MDC-T leader at the party congress expected to be held in December.
“This is well-planned to ensure all perceived to be against Chamisa are blocked from representing the party in Parliament,” said an insider.
President Emerson Mnangagwa said he will pronounce the election date in two weeks’ time.
