MARONDERA - MDC veteran provincial youths chairman, Sam Kamundarira, is under siege from suspected Zanu (PF) officials who infiltrated the MDC and acquired high posts, according to sources.The top officials plan to suspend MDC district activists who joined the party at its inception in 1999 and replace them with those with suspicious allegiance to the party. The suspensions would help weaken Morgan Tsvangirais pillars of strength and give President Robert Mugabe an upper hand come 2011 general elections. An MDC hardliner at Harvest House, last week advised Kamundarira that a cabal at the party headquarters had declared his suspension, and arrangements were underway to replace him with little-known Francis Chikadaya.
The MDC was nave to appoint former Zanu (PF) stalwarts to high office. How can known former notorious Mugabe bootlickers rise to highest offices on joining the MDC? A senior party official (Provincial Chairperson, Patrick Chabvamupero) who was reportedly notorious for forcing Mtoko MDC supporters to drink human urine while he was a Zanu (PF) parliamentary candidate in 2002, is suspected to be behind the ploy to destroy MDC from within. He intends to dismiss staunch MDC activists holding influential district posts, and substitute them with those aligned to Zanu (PF) and the CIO. Unfortunately, party leadership is casting a blind eye to political skirmishes by former Mugabe sympathizers, said an MDC official on condition of anonymity.
According to the source, MDC activists who have rallied behind party president Morgan Tsvangirai since the party was formed, would be dismissed on trumped up charges. They would not be served suspension letters, to deny them an opportunity to appeal against the framed up accusations. Zanu (PF) has vowed to retain the Marondera parliamentary seat at all costs. Marondera is a favoured Zanu (PF) spring board from which Mugabe launches political campaigns throughout Mashonaland East. Party followers fear the province might be wrestled back by Zanu (PF) from the MDC.