MDC Alliance yesterday claimed President Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s government had an elaborate strategy to destroy its leader Nelson Chamisa\u2019s political career after a Norton woman allegedly pressed rape charges against the late Morgan Tsvangirai\u2019s successor.<\/p>\n
The rape allegations were first reported by online publications on Friday, but police are yet to confirm if they are investigating Chamisa.<\/p>\n
The complainant (name withheld) allegedly claimed that she was attacked by the 2018 presidential election candidate at her home in Norton\u2019s Knowe Phase 2 suburb, while returning from jogging around 10pm.<\/p>\n
She allegedly told the police that Chamisa just emerged from nowhere and violated her. Repeated efforts to get a comment from the police were fruitless yesterday, but Chamisa\u2019s party said it was aware of the \u201csmear campaign\u201d.<\/p>\n
MDC Alliance spokesperson Jacob Mafume brushed off the rape allegations, saying they had been manufactured by Chamisa\u2019s detractors.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese allegations against president Chamisa are the work of desperate people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is the work of desperate agents and the work of futility that will not derail us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need change in this country in terms of leadership, we need renewal and people are desperate and people need homes and money.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to renew Zimbabwe and we are very clear on that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chamisa is out of the country and the party announced last week that he would be visiting leaders in the region to apprise them of the political situation in Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n
A number of senior MDC Alliance officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the allegations proved their claims that Zanu PF was desperate to stop Chamisa from winning during the May congress.<\/p>\n
According to a document being circulated among party leaders, which a source close Chamisa revealed would be presented to diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe, the plot allegedly involves sponsoring candidates to challenge the former student leader.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe question of the MDC congress is an interesting one because you have heard Mr Mnangagwa and his spokesperson [George Charamba] run amok with it,\u201d reads the five-page document.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven during the January killings instead of talking about how people were being killed, you saw them go on a diatribe against president Chamisa and talking about the congress.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will also notice how they are constantly bringing this matter up on state media including The Herald and ZBC.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is regardless of the fact that it is an MDC congress and the government and Zanu PF have nothing to do with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana last night said the ruling party had nothing to do with the MDC Alliance\u2019s internal fights.<\/p>\n
\u201cZanu PF members going to MDC? We are not their members and we have no business in their issues,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet them divide themselves in their party and if they are divided, they just want to find blame.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have nothing to do with MDC, what we only know is that if we meet them at elections, we will defeat them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chamisa refused to concede defeat in last year\u2019s elections claiming that Mnangagwa manipulated the votes and has been demanding that the Zanu PF leader must pave way for him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MDC Alliance yesterday claimed President Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s government had an elaborate strategy to destroy its leader Nelson Chamisa\u2019s political career after a Norton woman allegedly pressed rape charges against the late Morgan Tsvangirai\u2019s successor. The rape allegations were first reported by online publications on Friday, but police are yet to confirm if they are investigating […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":1039,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,12],"tags":[38,113,88,31,393],"class_list":{"0":"post-4893","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-policy","9":"tag-zanu-pf","10":"tag-chamisa","11":"tag-mdc","12":"tag-mnangagwa","13":"tag-tsvangirai"},"yoast_head":"\n