![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.com\/zimbabwe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2019\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-2-300x206.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMDC leader Nelson Chamisa has dismissed warnings that the party\u2019s May elective congress was divisive that it could lead to another split.<\/p>\n
Chamisa, who cancelled a rally scheduled for Bulawayo at the weekend, heads to Masvingo today where he is expected to drum up support ahead of the crunch congress.<\/p>\n
The youthful leader, facing the ultimate test of his political carreer said if anything, the party founded by the late Morgan Tsvangirai would emerge stronger after congress.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is jostling for posts within the party ahead of congress. This is not a sign of weakness. Jostling leads to strength, more strength; (that) depends on how you manage the processes. As far as we are concerned, we are developing our movement,\u201d Chamisa said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Insiders have expressed concern that either Chamisa or party secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora could leave the party if one of them lost the presidency.<\/p>\n
Mwonzora is reportedly eyeing the presidency and is confident that he will trounce Chamisa for the second time in the internal polls.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will see that our congress is going to produce a very credible, stronger and more vibrant movement. This is a people\u2019s movement and people\u2019s struggles cannot be split.<\/p>\n
Individuals can choose to exfoliate and pull off, but that is not a split,\u201d Chamisa said.<\/p>\n
Mwonzora, on the other hand, said he would remain in the MDC even if he lost at congress, saying he was loyal to the party.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I don\u2019t win elections, I will remain loyal to the party. Let me tell you the hierarchy of loyalty is in my mind. I am loyal to the cause, to democracy, justice to fairness. Secondly, I am loyal to the party, and thirdly, I am loyal to the leadership.<\/p>\n
In that order, and if our people whom we must respect vote a certain person in, that person deserves my respect, deserves my support and I will support that person for the next five years,\u201d Mwonzora said.<\/p>\n
Top MDC leaders including Morgen Komichi, Tendai Biti, Chalton Hwende, Happymore Chidziva, Lynette Karenyi and Welshman Ncube have thrown their weight behind Chamisa ahead of the elective congress.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, MDC Masvingo provincial chairperson James Gumbi confirmed Chamisa\u2019s impending visit today, but declined to shed more light on the purpose of the visit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe president is going to have a meeting with Masvingo structures. But it is an internal affair which I cannot share with the media; it is our housekeeping issues,\u201d Gumbi said.<\/p>\n
But sources said Chamisa was expected to crack the whip in the faction-riddled province in the wake of serious jockeying for positions ahead of the provincial congress scheduled for next month.<\/p>\n
\u201cChamisa is set to lay the ground rules for the campaigns, which are currently underway. He is also seeking his home province\u2019s vote,\u201d a source said.<\/p>\n
Gumbi is starving off a challenge by former Youth deputy minister and ex-Masvingo Urban legislator, Tongai Matutu, who is also eyeing the chairmanship post. Matutu, who once joined a splinter party, the People\u2019s Democratic Party then led by former Finance minister Tendai Biti as its deputy secretary-general, is backed by largely former rebels who rejoined the MDC. Gumbi, on the other hand, has the backing of the party faithfuls, who criticise the party prodigal sons as a chancers, bent only on getting positions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has dismissed warnings that the party\u2019s May elective congress was divisive that it could lead to another split. Chamisa, who cancelled a rally scheduled for Bulawayo at the weekend, heads to Masvingo today where he is expected to drum up support ahead of the crunch congress. The youthful leader, facing the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":1331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8,35,12],"tags":[113,381,118,88,120],"class_list":{"0":"post-5710","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-head-lines","9":"category-homepage-english","10":"category-policy","11":"tag-chamisa","12":"tag-congress","13":"tag-election","14":"tag-mdc","15":"tag-parties"},"yoast_head":"\n