Mwonzora earns Chamisa

OPPOSITION leader Nelson Chamisa has been sternly warned by former colleagues to respect other political parties who are part of the MDC Alliance formation and stop masquerading as the president of the coalition.

After losing a Supreme Court battle over his legitimacy leader of the MDC-T last year, Chamisa reverted to be president of the MDC Alliance, a grouping of political parties that contested the 2018 elections.

However, a faction of the MDC Alliance parties led by Douglas Mwonzora president of the MDC-T has laid claim to the Alliance name and this week issued a stern warning to Chamisa not to masquerade as president of the coalition.

In a statement Thursday, Stephen Mazanza, the ZIMPF spokesperson who also doubles up as the MDC Alliance director responsible for re-engagement, accused Chamisa of being "disrespectful".

"Mr. Chamisa it's time you respect us? Respect the ZIMPF, respect Ambassador (Agrippa) Mutambara as a freedom fighter, respect your party you claim to lead in isolation," said Mazanza.

"Zimbabwe is tired of all this nonsense, the ZIMPF, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Zanu Ndonga, MDC-T, MCD, and MDC Green are signatories of the MDC Alliance not (Tendai) Biti or Welshmen Ncube alone."

Biti and Ncube are former presidents of the PDP and MDC Green respectively.

"So, I am telling you now to stop misleading the nation you are MDC Alliance. Stop now!" continued Mazanza.

"If you really want this Alliance, come home. There's room for everyone but on condition, you know who's in charge (seven parties) led by Hon Sen President D Mwonzora. Finish and clear!

"You guys are not bigger than Zimbabwe, not bigger than the MDC Alliance, not bigger than our individual parties. If you are serious about MDC Alliance, come home, and join the Alliance.

"You claim to be for the people, I challenge you to prove that you are not after power, prove you are not after wealth, prove the people come first."

However, Chamisa's spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere hit back accusing Mwonzora and his colleagues of being puppets of the ruling Zanu-PF.

"For now we note that Mr. Mwonzora is masquerading as the MDC Alliance leader despite the fact that he caused the illegal recall of elected officials on the pretext that they were members of the MDC Alliance," she said.

Added Mahere: "The dishonest is palpable. What is clear is that he does not have a mandate from the people. Nobody voted for him. Nobody will vote for him. The people know the MDC Alliance is led by the people's president, Nelson Chamisa that contested as a political party in 2018, winning over two million votes.

"Mr. Mnangagwa and his regime are plagued by an illegitimacy crisis flowing from that disputed election. The illegitimate Zanu-PF regime is at pains to destroy our party using their self-created puppet opposition. They stole our funds; they violently took our building (Harvest House), they tried to supplant us. They will not succeed. The people will fight back."

She said the latest "theft of the MDC Alliance's name by Zanu-PF acting through its puppet opposition is both a continuation of the electoral theft that took place in 2018. It's a clear assault on the will of the people. We are not moved by this because the people know their leaders."