Chamisa, Mwonzora Clash Over Unilateral Appointments

MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa is reported to be clashing with the party’s secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora. This comes after Chamisa appointed three vice presidents, a new national chairperson, a deputy national chairperson and a party spokesperson. The Zimbabwe Independent reports that Mwonzora questioned the constitutionality of the unilateral appointments. Sources who spoke to the Zimbabwe Independent said,

The president came to the NC meeting with a mission to integrate Biti and Ncube into the MDC. He did not say at what levels. The council gave him permission, thinking they would get junior positions. A week, later, he just informed the council that he was allocating them executive posts and people were taken aback.

In fact, Mwonzora protested against the decision, saying it was unconstitutional. The party’s constitution stipulates that only the National Council can make those decisions and not an individual. But the president insisted that he has power to do so. He did not want further debate on the issue despite a few disagreements coming from committee members James Makore and Costa Machingauta,

Some of Chamisa’s supporters within the MDC are reported to have defected to Mwonzora’s camp. Another MDC official told the Zimbabwe Independent,

We helped him rise to succeed Tsvangirai to the extent that some even used their money to fund the campaign, yet he even tried to block them from being MPs. For instance, some members of the vanguard (a militant youth organisation affiliated to the MDC) have now defected to Mwonzora.

More: The Zimbabwe Independent