MDC Alliance factionalism report kept under wraps
THE MDC Alliance is yet to release a report on deeply entrenched factionalism rocking its Bulawayo structures almost a month after a five-member probe team submitted its findings. The party’s Bulawayo province is battling infighting, further fuelled by reports that some members, legislators and councillors, have crossed the floor to the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T to escape recall from Parliament and local government.
A group of party members led by former deputy mayor Tinashe Kambarami recently passed a vote of no confidence in chairperson James Sithole, who is also the party’s Makokoba legislator.
At the time, there were reports that the MDC Alliance Bulawayo province had two parallel structures divided along tribal lines, leading to the leadership dispatching a probe team.
Party deputy president Lynnette Karenyi-Kore led the probe team that included deputy secretary Concilia Chinanzvavana, national executive members Daniel Molokele, Bheki Sibanda and Nonhlanhla Mhlotshwa.
“We have concluded the investigations but the report is not yet out. It is being finalised,” Molokele said yesterday before referring further questions to Karenyi-Kore who refused to comment on the matter.
Before the party’s leadership dispatched the probe team, national organising secretary Amos Chibaya had visited Bulawayo, but failed to douse the flames during a provincial meeting lasting nearly eight hours as counter accusations between opposing factions were the order of the day.
Sithole has been linked to the Mwonzoraled party after he survived the recalls.
Sithole’s troubles started after the MDC Alliance standing committee resolved to expel members accused of hobnobbing with the Mwonzora-led MDC-T.
Bulawayo has always provided a fertile ground for factionalism for the opposition and even the ruling party.
Currently, the MDC-T is also riddled with factionalism as opposing camps aligned to Mwonzora and his deputy Thokozani Khupe go against each other.