Chamisa threatens his presidential bid backers

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has threatened to come hard on party politicians who continue making reckless public comments about his party's May elective congress.

He was speaking during a media briefing Wednesday following a party meeting held earlier with the MDC standing committee members.

Party secretary general Douglas Mwonzora's recent vows to challenge Chamisa at congress has ignited fierce unrest within the party as the latter's backers have openly threatened to block the senator's bid for the country's most influential political job outside Zanu-PF.

Similarly, top party leaders, who include current Vice President Morgen Komichi and Tendai Biti have linked Mwonzora to Zanu-PF in an apparent attempt to choke his bid for the opposition top job.

The apparent intolerance towards a democratic electoral contest by his backers has invited public scorn upon the 41-year-old opposition chief who is under fire for grabbing power soon after the death of founding MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai February last year.

The charismatic MDC leader is keen to end negative perception around his controversial rise to the helm of the party in what many believe could be a stroll towards keeping his job.

He told journalists that he will not tolerate his backers threatening his rivals anymore.

Addressing journalists at Morgan Tsvangirai House formerly Harvest House, Chamisa said the culture of intimidating other party leaders who would be vying for senior posts must end.

"We must understand that as we go to congress, tensions are likely to run high, it's gone be choppy, tough and exciting. Leaders' are encouraged to exercise patience, we must not exchange blows in an undemocratic manner. We have also said as leadership, we are not going to accept, those declarations typical of Zanu-PF. We are not Zanu-PF, we don't have declarations, we have nominations and they would be announced," Chamisa said.

On Monday the youth league from Harare province issued a warning against anyone who tried to challenge Chamisa at the congress and this was seen as targeting Douglas Mwonzora, the party's Secretary General.

"We appreciate individual opinions, we appreciate that assembles having their own opinion, but we don't want those opinions to be the basis of intimidating others who can be weakened. We want to make sure that democracy is there for all of us," he said.

"The MDC is not capable of splitting, yes leaders will always join and unjoin but it doesn't mean that the party will split. Yes it will exfoliate, spilling out the outer layer for renewable purposes because the people can't split. It is a people's project," said Chamisa.