Political Reporter

The recent reshuffle of the MDC Alliance’s National Standing Committee (NSC) by Nelson Chamisa was meant to neutralize the ever growing Maruva cabal and reward his loyalists, an insider has said.

Speaking to this publication yesterday, a member of the MDC Alliance’s NSC confided that Chamisa hurriedly reshuffled the NSC as he felt threatened by the influence of the Maruva cabal.

“The reshuffle was meant to checkmate the Maruva and promote Chamisa’s allies ahead of the 2023 elections. Chamisa felt that some of the leaders such as Job Sikhala were no longer loyal to him, hence the need to promote his trusted lieutenants,” said the source.

The source added that the elevation of Cecil Zvidzai to the position of deputy national chairperson was a violation of the constitution as Job Sikhala was elected at the congress. The same source further said that Chamisa had lost trust in much of the MDC Alliance leadership and is now restructuring the party, placing his trusted allies into influential positions ahead of the 2023 elections.

“Chamisa has violated the party’s constitution by demoting Sikhala who was elected at congress. Chamisa is getting rid of everyone whom he suspects of having questionable loyalty to him and is restructuring the MDC Alliance placing his trusted allies into influential positions,” added the source.

The same source said the appointment of Last Maengahama to the position of national secretary for policy and research was done to pacify him after he had complained of being neglected by the party when he was incarcerated. The source added that the appointment of Jasmine Hoffa as national deputy secretary for policy and research was meant to strengthen Chamisa’s faction in Matabeleland region following growing influence of the Maruva cabal in that region.

According to the same source, Chamisa appointed Gift ‘Ostallos’ Siziba as deputy spokesperson as a way of shielding him from the Maruva cabal that was planning to elbow him out of the national youth assembly. The move was a calculated one as Chamisa is planning to dissolve the youth assembly as most of its members are believed to be aligned to the Maruva cabal.

The source said that Chamisa had plans to elevate youths into the NSC and Joanna Mamombe and Cecelia Chimbiri were cited, as the MDC-A wants to get rid of old horses.

Efforts to get a comment from the MDC Alliance spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere were futile as her mobile phones were not reachable.