All is not well in the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC-A) as members are at each other’s throats due to fights for positions of influence in the party.
At the centre of the fights is MDC-A national chairperson Thabitha Khumalo who is being accused of stifling efforts of the organizing secretary Amos Chibaya to integrate party structures, using her influence to elbow out those who were once members of Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti’s political parties.
Khumalo as the national chair wants the MDC-A structures to be occupied by her blue eyed boys whom she can control.
The MDC-A national chair is believed to be using one Swirthen Chiroodza, the MDC-A secretary for information and publicity for Bulawayo Province for her self-interests that are dividing party structures.
Chiroodza, who is Khumalo’s frontman, is also being accused of writing and circulating stories in various media platforms attacking MDC A leaders such as Welshman Ncube, Karenyi Kore and Tendayi Masotcha, who are seen as hindrances to Khumalo’s total control of MDC-A Bulawayo Provincial structures.
A source who spoke to this publication said Khumalo is worse than Thokozani Khupe whom she always accused of being tribalistic in nature.
“Khumalo used to say ‘Thokozani Khupe’ plays regional politics and she used to fight her for that but to be honest she is worse than Khupe. Khumalo is a factionalist and a tribalistic leader,” said the source.
The same source accused Khumalo of dividing Bulawayo Province and he said the cancer is slowly spreading to other Provinces.
“She ‘Khumalo’ has divided the entire Bulawayo province and it’s spreading to other regions of Matebeleland because of her greediness and selfishness. A good example is when she involved herself in the fight between Tinashe Kambarami and the mayor because she was not in good books with the mayor,” said the source.
Political analyst, Mr Goodwine Mureriwa, said the implosion in the MDC-A is a tell-tale sign of the demise of that party. He said the party lacked visionary leaders who can unite the party.
The infighting in the MDC-A is not a new phenomenon as fights and accusations against leadership were the norm even during the days of Morgan Tsvangirai.