Parallel structures rock MDC T grassroots

By Upenyu Silent Chaota

The Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is facing a new twist of political turmoil as its grassroots structures are on fire after some individuals conform into factions and create structures that will work to their advantage so that they can consolidate power in their offices.

The most affected areas are Mutare, Chegutu, Chitungwiza and Masvingo urban. Party supporters particularly in Masvingo have called upon the leadership to come and resolve the dispute if they are to win the lost seats to ZANU PF.

Speaking at a meeting convened early this week in ward 3, the Masvingo provincial chairman James Gumbi said that he was sent by the party president to oversee that the parallel structures are dissolved and only single structures are left for the good of the party.

The national chairman Lovemore Moyo was also expected to be present on the meeting but could not make it because of unknown reasons.

Gumbi told the people that he was aware of the problem that was savaging the party at grassroots level and he was given the monumental task to flash out the problem.

“I was send by the president (Tsvangirai) to resolve the issue of parallel structures that has been causing chaos in Masvingo urban. We are aware that there are different structures in the same wards but we want to make sure that this problem is resolved fast,” said Gumbi.

Masvingo urban district has not conducted any congress since 2006 and party supporters demanded immediate congress but their plea was turned down by the party executive.

The party supporters spoke in unison that their district leadership was now taken over by hooliganism and they call for their immediate dismissal especially the chairman Murangamwa Chanyau whose name continued to appear on the notorious list.

One party supporter at the meeting accused Chanyau and his team of playing around with the party structures and sponsoring confusion which has led to the crisis.

“We create our structures at ward level and give the names to Chanyau but he alters those names before sending them to the national office and in the end there will be different structures to the ones we know here. He places the names of people who will be loyal to him and not the ones who will have been chosen by the masses. Right now you will find two structures in one ward,” fumed the party supporter.