Mwonzora linked mayors face the boot from MDC Alliance?

Serious divisions and infighting has rocked the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC-Alliance ahead of a violent demonstration scheduled for tomorrow, with a section of senior party officials and supporters saying they were tired of being "used".

It is understood the divisions have been caused by Mr Chamisa's move to rid the party of former secretary-general Mr Douglas Mwonzora's loyalists.

Sources say mayors and councillors are his latest targets. Mr Mwonzora was challenging Mr Chamisa for the party's presidency, but eventually pulled out citing an uneven ground.

He has since been co-opted into the national executive. The Herald understands that Chegutu mayor Councillor Henry Muchatibaya and Masvingo's Collins Maboke, who were fighting in Mr Mwonzora's corner, are the prime targets. Clr Muchatibaya yesterday confirmed the divisions in the party ahead of the demonstration.

"MDC-Alliance is now being run by selfish and power-hungry people who are not working for the people, but for positions. These people have their selfish interests and they are using people to push their selfish agendas. These Friday demonstrations that are being preached by MDC-Alliance leadership are tools being used to push for positions.

"The party is being run as a project and totally different from when we joined. There are people who still do not see that they are being used by this leadership," he said.

Clr Muchatibaya urged the leadership to go "back to the ground and fix the problems" before the electorate lose trust in them. He said former party president the late Mr Morgan Tsvangirai was never in the habit of imposing candidates as has become the case now.

Clr Muchatibaya said Mr Tsvangirai would always consult supporters, but Mr Chamisa "relies on rumour mongers who are also eyeing positions in the party".

He said when the MDC-Alliance leadership recently toured some council projects in Chegutu, he was never informed of the visit as the mayor, but his deputy Mr Mafios Shumba was told.

"These factions that are ruining the party have always been there and even during the primary elections," he said. Another top official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Mr Chamisa has failed to address the wishes of voters.

"This leadership does not care about the masses, whether you were voted in or not they will fire you and push for other people. Chamisa is power-hungry and will take advantage of the poor," said the source.

In Masvingo, MDC-Alliance provincial chairperson Mr James Gumbi recently refused to comment on the matter and referred questions to Mr Dereck Charamba from the provincial information department.

Mr Charamba said: "I am not aware of anything for now and we have not yet deliberated on pre-congress issues. If we are going to do that we will need to see if there are such issues (firing of mayor)."

Clr Maboke's mobile phone was unreachable when contacted for comment. In Chegutu, Mr Chamisa wants Clr Shumba and Clr Godfrey Kurauone in Masvingo. Commenting on the demonstrations, MDC-Alliance spokesperson Mr Daniel Molokele said he could not guarantee their peacefulness.

"I am not a prophet to predict what will happen on Friday. What I can say is that we cannot be stopped from practicing our constitutional rights," said Mr Molokele.