Chamisa snubs agitated Bulawayo supporters

MDC-Alliance president Mr Nelson Chamisa on Friday reportedly developed cold feet and dodged a meeting of the party structures in Bulawayo, which had been called to address among other things the contentious issue of the wayward behaviour of city councillors.

The meeting held at the party offices was instead addressed by the chairperson, Ms Thabitha Khumalo who had been sent by Mr Chamisa.

An insider told Sunday News that Mr Chamisa avoided the meeting because he was not sure how the structures would behave as the MDC-Alliance in Bulawayo has been torn into factions along tribal lines.

Ever since Bulawayo Deputy Mayor, Mr Tinashe Kambarami and his sidekick, Councillor Silas Chigora tried to eject the Bulawayo Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube from office a few weeks ago, accusing him of corruption, divisions along tribal lines have emerged among the councillors in the process cascading to the structures.

Party Bulawayo provincial chairperson Mr James Sithole yesterday said he could not comment on the matter as he was "too junior to speak on issues concerning top officials."

Speaking at the meeting Ms Khumalo tried to pacify the supporters calling them to stop looking at issues along tribal lines.

"The Constitution is clear; we cannot discriminate on grounds of tribe. Let's agree that there is a problem, how do we rectify it because all of us must abide by rules. If these laws are not what we want as people of the Matabeleland how do we change the law? Go and change the Constitution and go and change the Urban Councils Act too," she said.

However, parts sources said the party officials wanted to be addressed by Mr Chamisa whom they accuse of failing to deal with the issues affecting the party in the city.

Mr Chamisa, however, was reportedly not keen to face the agitated supporters and decided against attending the meeting.