Since when has the MDC been the racist party?

Everything it seems in Zimbabwean politics today is upside down, the opposite of what we have been used to. Suddenly it is ED preaching peace, love and unity, and committing time and again to free and fair elections, not flinching from this message even when he came within inches of being blown up. He even extended his charm offensive to the BBC, when he told their Africa Editor that "I am as soft as wool!"

And at the same time, while ED is reinventing himself as a reformer, the MDC seems to be going in the opposite direction. The party has been beset by violence over the past few months (according to the Zimbabwe Peace Project, of 24 cases of intraparty political violence in May, 22 were from within the MDC and only two from the Zanu PF); their leader no longer seems prepared to accept the basic principles of democracy (Chamisa recently told a rally that "I know that if I don't win then it's not a free and fair election"); and they are openly embracing Grace Mugabe, Jonathan Moyo and the worst and most violent elements of the ZANU-PF, all in the hope it will help them get into power – irrespective of the price.

Yet at least we could always say that the MDC is a racially open party. After all, for a party that has always preached racial equality and in which a large chunk of the founding members were white, the principle of a racially harmonious nation is key to their DNA.

Sadly, even this is no longer true.

Two days ago, MDC- Alliance candidate for Mwenezi East Mr Kudakashe Bhasikiti, who will be facing the ZANU-PF candidate Joosbi Omar (who is of Indian descent), tweeted: "Contesting an Indian in rural Mwenezi no matter how much people are intimidated they will choose one of their own. Zvekuti kuZanu nyangwe ukaisa dhongi vanhu vanorivhotera zvakaenda nemwene wazvo."

Not only is this a clear violation of the Electoral Law's Code of Conduct on elections, which stipulates that, "A candidate cannot discriminate on the basis of race & ethnicity", but it is race-baiting pure and simple. Unable to find a better case for why the good people of Mwenezi East should vote for him, Bhasikiti resorted to inciting racial hatred against Omar simply because of his origin.

I can already hear the cries of dissent from the Chamisa-loyalists on Facebook and Twitter, the people for whom every action is forgivable and excusable – "but he is just one candidate. Chamisa never said that," they will insist. And to an extent they will be right.

But this was tweeted 48 hours ago. And in this period, we have seen no condemnation from Nelson Chamisa or his team. People that are so quick to jump on any misstep from the ZANU-PF, no matter how minor, are strangely silent in the face of vicious racism from within their own ranks.

There is no excuse for this. There can be no excuse for this. The only proper response must be a blanket condemnation from Chamisa and the MDC.

Otherwise it is clear that the MDC is a party that tolerates racism. Just one more compromise Chamisa has made in his thirst for power. Just one more step on the way to becoming ZANU-PF.

The question is where will it stop?