Chamisa fails to turn up for rally?

The State Media reported that an MDC-Alliance rally in Lions' Den, which was supposed to be addressed by its president Mr Nelson Chamisa last Friday, turned out to be a sham with a handful of supporters attending.

The rally, which was supposed to conclude Mr Chamisa's campaign programme in Mashonaland West, attracted not more than a thousand supporters drawn from Mhangura, Makonde and Chinhoyi constituencies.

The party had lined up four rallies in Karoi, Kariba, Zvipani and Lions' Den on Thursday and Friday last week.

However, some disgruntled supporters were heard jeering Mr Chamisa's co-vice president Engineer Elias Mudzuri, who stood in for the embattled alliance leader.

"We were told that the president (Chamisa) will be coming, only to be addressed by Mudzuri," some of the supporters could be heard complaining.

"At least the leadership should have told us that the president was no longer coming." Another supporter who requested anonymity condemned Eng Mudzuri for coming late to the rally.

"He came late and spoke for a few minutes," he said. "At least he should have extended his speech as supporters were hurt by the absence of the president who was supposed to be the main speaker."

In his address, Eng Mudzuri reiterated the party's plans to transform Zimbabwe's socio-political and economic status. Before Eng Mudzuri's arrival, aspiring National Assembly for the three constituencies took turns to sell their ideas to the electorate.