MDC Mat South members not happy with the 'War of Words' in the party leadership

Matebeleland South supporters of the Welshman Ncube led MDC have expressed their utmost anger at the "War of Words" in the media by their senior leaders and the apparent "quite diplomacy" by the party president.

Several members interviewed by this reporter who apparently all wanted to remain anonymous castigated their leaders for bringing the party into disrepute by continuously throwing words at each other in the media and social networks. This comes amidst continuous news headlines by the party senior leaders fighting each other mainly on the secondment of the Harare based party Secretary General Priscilla Misihairabwi - Mushonga as legislator for Matebeleland South through proportional representation.

The general feeling of the members interviewed is that their leaders are exhibiting a very high degree of immaturity and party constitution disregard by taking their issues to press behind the back of the party's information and publicity structures. The members feel that all those who have had their issues published in the newspapers or agreeing to openly express and divulge party information to the media without authorisation of the party must be disciplined and removed from their leadership positions.

"We have an official Information and Publicity portfolio in the party with proper protocol to follow for people to make media statements about the party and party members, not for every Tom and Jerry to rush and speak to media." Said one party strongman from Gwanda who is very popular in the Social networks for standing for the party. "We all have varied opinions and feelings on the SG's issue and other issues and members of the party, you can imagine how things will be if all of us were to go to the media and express our views?" Added the very vocal member.

Another member said he is surprised that all the talking leaders are people always running behind Welshman Ncube where ever he went but just never learn anything from him. "Welshman is a very diplomatic person who only talks when he really needs to talk and these guys just can't learn from him" said the member of the youth league of the party. Another member also from Gwanda added the same sentiment saying that party leaders who have attended meetings with Ncube know very well that he is a very good listener and takes every person's concern seriously and acts on it and so wonders why the leaders are opting to talk to him through the press. "Welshman is the best political leader in Zimbabwe. He comes down to the least considered person and talk to them and get their ideas and act on them. I wonder what these guys are trying to prove by talking to journalists instead of Prof. If they are looking for ways to make their names known for election at congress they are wrong we will discipline them, they have all but brought an end to their political ambitions in the party."

Speaking in a telephone interview another member from Plumtree also echoed similar sentiments saying that while he did not condone the secondment of Mushonga to Matebeleland South he felt leaders and members going around calling for her recall through the media are wrong and must be disciplined. " Yes, the issue around Mukwena's dismissal and the SG are wrong and affecting us as a province but we will have a provincial meeting soon where everyone will be given a chance to air their views and we debate constructively and come up with a position as a province. This nye nye nye in the papers must be stopped immediately and all members who have been vocal equally disciplined."

Efforts to get a comment from the party's Matebeleland South information desk were all fruitless as party members did not know who the party provincial spokesperson is with some hinting he defected to the MDC some two years ago. The members did not even know who the provincial chairman of the party is now following the dismissal of Petros Mukwena who was provincial chairman. They even did not know who the vice chairperson of the province is with some just hinting he is somewhere in Beitbridge. "My brother, since Mukwena's suspension the provincial executive has never been functional. Everyone silently quit their positions in solidarity with Mukwena. All we know is that the province is being run from Bulawayo by Ngqa (Nqabutho Dube Mabhena), Masotsha (Albert Masotsha Ndlovu National Mobilising secretary) and De Necker (Lionel De Necker former mayor of Gwanda). If you ask anyone meant to be in the provincial executive for any information they refer you to these three its them that are running the province. Kunzima bro (its tough my brother)" said another member from Gwanda.