HARARE – Movement for Democratic Party (MDC) National Standing Committee(NSC) has summoned former vice president Morgen Komichi to explain himself following revelations that he had resigned from the party as internal politics dog the country’s largest opposition party.
The veteran opposition stalwart was last week quoted saying he had thrown in the towel, a development he denied.
Komichi told Business Times that he had nothing to do with the reports that he has resigned from the MDC party after having been side-lined by party leader Nelson Chamisa.
The NSC chaired by Chamisa last week hauled Komichi to the meeting to explain himself on the reports that are making rounds that he is opposed to the leadership of the party.
“I know nothing about the matter or any letter that I wrote and resigned from the party, it is fake news and creation of my political enemies wanting to destroy and tarnish my political career.
I am not going to resign from the party and I am one of the founding members of the party and I have no reason to leave the party as I am, working well with the party leadership,” Komichi said.
Komichi one of the founding and senior party member rose through the party structures to become the party national chairman and later elevated to become one of the three vice presidents that included Elias Mudzuri and Thokozani Khupe in 2014.
He lost his post during the party’s elective congress held in 2018.
The party elected vice presidents Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube and Lynnette Karenyi -Kore and while Komichi was designated to be in charge of presidential affairs.
Komichi has been labelled together with Douglas Mwonzora, the former secretary general as being the key ,members who are allegedly leading a faction that is opposing the leadership of Chamisa since last year from the MDC elective congress having lost influential posts in the party.
MDC spokesperson Daniel Molokele confirmed that Komichi briefed the NSC exonerating himself from the social media reports that he was resigning from the party.
“The NSC received a report of the state, health and hygiene of the people’s party.
In this regard the NSC discussed the persistent and desperate machinations by the illegitimate regime to portray the people’s party as a house in turmoil by manufacturing fake letters and false communication in the names of certain of our leaders,” Molokele.
“Senator Morgen Komichi, a respected party leader himself, took advantage of the meeting to dismiss the false communication manufactured in his name.
He also reaffirmed his unstinting faith and loyalty to the party and its leadership and expressed his undying faith in the MDC as the sole repository of hope for the people of Zimbabwe.”
Molokele said party leadership also discussed and noted the need for message discipline and consistency and emphasised that all communication be done by its relevant designated officials.
This comes after the former party’s Secretary General Mwonzora stands accused of commenting on MDC’s issues on social media and was last week threatened to be disciplined if he continues discussing party issues.
Mwonzora told Business Times that the statements that he was behind the factionalism in MDC were being peddled by his political enemies seeking his downfall.
In 2019, Mwonzora had hinted that he wanted to challenge Chamisa for the position of the party president before opting to contest for post of secretary general against Chalton Hwende at MDC elective congress in Gweru.
He lost the post. “I have nothing to do with childish rubbish acts.
It is the usual cheap crap that is being spoken about me. I refer you to the party spokesperson and secretary general on the matter.
My social media account is for the public and open for viewing. I responded to the lie and falsehoods that were being peddled by the discredited and exiled politician Jonathan Moyo,” Mwonzora said.