Tribalism cripples MDC rural penetration strategy

Sources within the MDC Alliance national and provincial structures have declared that the party's rural penetration strategy is facing serious challenges as a result of tribalism and the perceived marginalization of at least four rural provinces

The same sources said that by marginalizing Mashonaland Central, West East as well as Manicaland, the Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance was doing a favour to ZANU PF. The sources predicted that such marginalization may even lead to another split.

According to a long serving provincial executive member from Mashonaland East province, the province has been marginalized by the MDC since the time of Morgan Tsvangirai. The member observed that the situation had gotten worse under Chamisa.

The MDC Alliance provincial official observed that only Last Maengahama was the highest ranking official from Mashonaland East province. The official however observed that Maengahama was recently appointed to the 'useless' post of national secretary for Policy and Research as a window dressing measure following growing complaints.

"The post is useless and of absolutely no political value. This is actually an insult," said the provincial member.

When asked why he was not mentioning Tendai Biti, the official said that it was 'common knowledge that Biti was not really from Mashonaland East province'. The official also said that he was aware that Chamisa wanted to impose people from other provinces as candidates in Mashonaland East in the 2023 elections.

The same sentiments were echoed by provincial officials from Mashonaland Central, which is not represented in the top leadership positions. An MDC Alliance official based in Bindura went on to say Mashonaland Central was the most marginalized MDC province in Zimbabwe with 'zero representation at the top table'

The official went on to claim that the MDC was even ignoring long standing members and imposing 'diasporans' as prospective Members of Parliament while ignoring those who have been in the struggle since 1999.

"We hear that Jajis are coming to eat the cake that we have been toiling for while they were enjoying in the diaspora, "fumed the official.

The source was apparently referring to Henry Jaji, the preferred MDC Alliance candidate for Mazowe Central constituency, who lives in New Zealand or Australia.

A well-placed source within the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the MDC Alliance also said that Mashonaland West and Manicaland provinces have been marginalized y that party.

"Even at the MDC Alliance NEC level we are seeing the empowerment of people from Matebeleland provinces, Midlands province and Masvingo, especially Gutu area. We are also seeing the sidelining of people like Job Sikhala who may be from Masvingo but have been demanding fairness within the party and a more militant stance against ZANU PF. We are going nowhere. Maybe our leader has been captured by the security sector. He is out to destroy the party," said the source.

The same NEC member said in Bulawayo, Chamisa's relatives with Ndebele sounding names has occupied influential positions at the expense of genuine local Ndebele people. The source said that there is a plot by Chamisa to impose his relatives to represent the party in the 2023 plebiscite. The source revealed that such machinations have created disgruntlement with the MDC Alliance Bulawayo province, with many people expressing their dissatisfaction with Chamisa's leadership.

Political analysts have assessed that the turmoil in the mdc Alliance would be worsened by Chamisa's desire to bring in new leaders from outside in line with his desire to build alliances and to give diasporans power in exchange for their hard earned money. These developments which could lead to a split, defections and apathy may present political capital to ZANU PF.