Chamisa threatens to take disciplinary action

MDC-Alliance president Mr Nelson Chamisa has gagged senior party leaders from commenting on the party's congress in the media, as he struggles to contain the simmering tension among members. He also skirted giving details on his so-called diplomatic offensive that he claimed to have embarked on last week, saying his opponents should not know who he met.

This is despite the fact that the party issued a media statement saying Mr Chamisa had embarked on a diplomatic offensive of meeting leaders on the continent amid indications that he met charismatic religious leaders in Ghana.

Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday soon after holding a Standing Committee meeting, Mr Chamisa threatened members who were using social media and different platforms to denounce others ahead of congress that there would be "gnashing of teeth for those who cross the line."

"We have since said we will not allow our leaders to be all spokespersons on the congress. There is going to be one spokesperson that is the party's spokesperson. All the other leaders are going to be spokespersons of themselves when they campaign quietly and in accordance with the congress template," said Mr Chamisa.

"Leaders are very clear and they know that when we have rules they are meant to be observed and not to be broken. When you break rules you are also inviting challenges to yourself, because the law is meant to punish those who disobey it."

Mr Chamisa threatened to take disciplinary action against those who engage in name calling which has been a common feature in the past weeks as party leaders jostled to identify themselves with either Mr Chamisa or party secretary general Mr Douglas Mwonzora, who is expected to throw his hat in the race for the party's presidency.

"Leaders may always say certain statements but we are a party with protocol, with rules and regulations. We have had a meeting since morning, we discussed our issue, you will see, read my lips, look at my face, you will not see any such things going forward," he said.

"If there are any such things where people are name calling, they would have crossed the line and there will be gnashing of teeth and they know it. All the leaders are here so it is not a threat but it is just a promise of what will happen if there is any crossing of the line."

Commenting on the so-called diplomatic offensive, Mr Chamisa said: "It is not a 'so-called'. It is a diplomatic offensive. We will announce as and when the time comes. This (was) a diplomatic outreach. There are protocols to be observed and followed. We are knocking on the doors of all the African leaders, President Cyril Ramaphosa included, to make the region and the continent realise and see that ours is a serious situation," said Mr Chamisa.