Mwonzora says I don’t suddenly become ZANU-PF because there is a congress

Movement for Democratic Change secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora said he cannot suddenly become ZANU-PF just because there is a congress so allegations that he is being sponsored by the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front are baseless and are being made by his detractors who do not tolerate fair competition.

Mwonzora who is tipped to challenge MDC president Nelson Chamisa at the party congress in May said he had not made up his mind yet about which post to contest but he had every right to contest any post within the party.

In an interview with the Standard, Mwonzora said he believed that the allegations will not harm his reputation because any fair and sensible person will not think for a minute that he has anything to do with ZANU-PF.

“This is cheap propaganda that is coming from my detractors, people who cannot fight a fair battle even within the organisation. Everybody knows I am a loyal member of the opposition and there is no reason why true MDC people must allow themselves to be digressed by what ZANU-PF is saying,” Mwonzora said.

“We in the MDC say quite a lot of things about the ZANU-PF leaders. We talk about who is more cruel, Chiwenga or Mohadi or Mnangagwa, we say it all the time. We even say who is a better leader among the three of them. We always say it all the time, but it doesn’t mean that we support them.

“In fact, when Mugabe was still President there were a lot of ZANU-PF people that we thought would be better presidents, but that doesn’t translate to support for that candidate. I am not a member of ZANU- PF and I do not require their support.

“When Victor Matemadanda talked about the MDC congress, I issued a statement in which I castigated him. I do not know why people choose to believe ZANU-PF when it comes to me, but I am not very worried because MDC people know the truth…….

“I don’t suddenly become ZANU-PF because we have a congress and, secondly, I am sure people have seen how intolerant some elements within my party can be. If it is true that I was working with ZANU-PF, God knows if I would still be alive and still in the party right now. Why am I not being disciplined, why not be expelled and why am I being allowed to run the party as secretary-general?

“This shows that my colleagues know that these rumours are false. Chamisa himself knows that these rumours are false.”

The MDC congress has attracted a lot of media coverage with accusations that ZANU-PF is doing everything it can, including putting up a $6 million fund, to stop Chamisa being elected party leader.

ZANU-PF supporters have, however, told the MDC to concentrate on its congress and leave President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his ZANU-PF alone because the congress is not a national election.

Chamisa lost to Mnangagwa in last year’s elections but insists he won the elections.

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