Mnangagwa divides Chamisa camp

SHARP divisions rocked the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance yesterday ahead of the presentation of Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s mid-term fiscal review statement, with some party executives threatening to boycott the event should President Emmerson Mnangagwa show up.

Party spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere and secretary-general Chalton Hwende gave conflicting signals on how they would react with the latter saying MDC Alliance MPs should continue boycotting events attended by Mnangagwa as they did not recognise his presidency.

“The MDC Alliance congress and national council resolutions on the illegitimacy of Mnangagwa remain unchanged and as such continue to guide the conduct of all party organs including our Parliament caucus,” Hwende said.

Mahere, on the other hand, insisted that party MPs would benefit by attending the event to quiz Ncube over the deteriorating situation in the country.

“In light of the deteriorating economic situation, the current public health emergency and the growing bad governance crisis, the MDC Alliance has taken the decision to attend the midterm fiscal review statement and supplementary budget to be made by the Minister of Finance in Parliament,” Mahere said in a statement.

Mnangagwa, however, did not attend the event, opting to tour several companies in Hwange 607km southwest of Harare.

The MDC Alliance has consistently refused to recognise Mnangagwa’s presidency, accusing him of stealing the 2018 presidential vote they claim was won by Chamisa.

Parliament recently docked MDC Alliance MPs’ allowances after they walked out on Mnangagwa last year.