MDC-Alliance: Chickens coming home to roost

The occurrences within the MDC-Alliance have left people wondering if Nelson Chamisa has finally met up with karma and is being beaten up with what he dug up. In Shona, we have a proverb that says "akarumwa nechekuchera".

Others argued that Chamisa made a grave mistake tolerating, incorporating and embracing in his party ousted members of the G40, especially the flip-flopper Professor Jonathan Moyo.

Yet, others opined that just like the prodigal son, defecting members of the MDC-Alliance are faced with the realisation that there is no progress in the opposition politics as it has been characterised by immaturity and disregard of democratic and constitutional principles.

Consequently, home is always best. Karma is an Indian philosophy which is embraced by followers of the Buddhist religion, meaning the result of a person's action, as well as the actions themselves.

It is a term about the cycle of cause and effect. As it would appear, the way Chamisa took the reins of power in the MDC are coming back to haunt him and what is left of the party.

It is, therefore, not surprising that his secretary-general Chalton Hwende is busy kicking people out unconstitutionally. Through his standing committee meetings, Hwende has harassed, dressed down, and frustrated some members of the MDC-A out.

Hwende learnt well from Chamisa, when he grabbed power from the late Morgan Tsvangirai, the founder and leader of the MDC-T, while he was yet to be buried. Chamisa managed to frustrate Thokozani Khupe who was likely his biggest opponent to consolidating power.

Obert Gutu, Douglas Mwonzora, Lillian Timveos and Blessing Chebundo, to mention, but a few, all left because of this modus operandi within the MDC-Alliance. It seems Hwende is on a mission to remove anyone whom they deem a challenger to the chosen leaders within the MDC-A. Just over the weekend, Welshman Ncube and Job Sikhala were thrown out of MDC-A Whatsapp groups. The plans are afoot to kick them out of the party completely.

Job Sikhala Sikhala is said to be presenting a challenge to Chamisa and so should be removed without delay. This is not the first time that Sikhala has been subjected to such humiliating actions. Such abuse in the MDC-A is common to whip anyone who falls out of line.

Hwende, Chamisa and the MDC-A vice president, Tendai Biti, all have their cliques of preferred members whom they prefer to work with, as they labour at removing obstacles from attaining their desired party positions.

Take a look at Fadzayi Mahere, their national spokesperson who used to run as an independent, the minute she decided to flip and join the MDC-A she was immediately offered a position as the national spokesperson ahead of other long serving members such as Joana Mamombe, who have been in the party for much longer than her.

Meanwhile, there is a lot of disgruntlement within the MDC-A's rank and file, with some members arguing how it is that they have been left out of influential positions, while some former G40 members have been given constituencies to represent.

Isn't it better they wait their turn in the queue than to jump the line. Expelled former G40 members Shadreck Mashayamombe and Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, all got recognition and just like Mahere got influential positions ahead of the MDC-A members that have been in the party since inception.

They were allowed to contest in their constituencies under the MDC-A card, blocking potential competitors from within the MDC-A.

Who would have thought that Jonathan Moyo would today act like the MDC-A's online public relations manager together with Edmund Kudzai, handling all advertising and campaign materials for the MDC-A?

One is made to wonder how Chamisa can trust a well-known political serial flip flopper, who harbours ambitions of destroying everything from within. The defections that are happening in the MDC-A currently can't be mere coincidence.

One supporter raised his voice and asked just how much trust Chamisa has in Jonathan Moyo, as he could destroy the MDC-A from within, antics he tried when he was member of the ruling party.

Meanwhile, chickens are coming home to roost as Chamisa ineptitude can no longer be hid and upon this damascene moment his associates are either defecting to Zanu-PF or to MDC-T under Mwonzora. Recently, Chebundo and Jeppy Jaboon went back to Zanu-PF, whilst Bhasikiti joined Mwonzora's MDC-T and more are said to be contemplating their political future under Chamisa's leadership.

It should be difficult to trust a person who has an aura of destruction following him such as is the case with Jonathan Moyo, but amazingly Chamisa has risked everything to have him in his party. It's not surprising that rumours are claiming that Hwende is frustrating and expelling people from the MDC-A to create an opening for the G40 members Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Walter Mzembi.

In an effort to consolidate power, Chamisa has kicked out likely opponents such as Welshman Ncube and Sikhala from the party social media groups so that they can strategies against them in their absence.

At the end of it all one is forced to realise that Zanu-PF is a party that has stood the test of time, and has remained firm and grounded in its ideologies.

The ideologies of black empowerment, land ownership and most recently the ability to foster friendship through engagement and re-engagement and increased production and capacity and new investment in Zimbabwe. It has become clear to all who had defected that home is best, home is where their best interests are protected.

It will not be a surprise to see Mahere, a child born and bred in Zanu-PF, a child who benefited from the Presidential Scholarship, itself an idea of Zanu-PF, coming back home.

Zanu-PF is home where many came from, now it depends on whether before you left you burnt your bridges or you left them intact for possible come back when it gets freezing cold out there.