By Paul Nyathi
Outspoken Welshman Ncube led MDC parliamentarian Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga and her party principal are on a collision course ahead of the 2018 elections.
In an interview with ZimEye.com on Wednesday, Party Deputy Spokesperaon Mbuso Siso indicated that the party is going through a severely strained relationship with its former Secretary General which may soon lead to a serious disagreement between Mushonga and the party.
Siso’s indications came after Mushonga disassociated herself from the party candidates selection process for the upcoming elections.
Speaking to ZimEye.com on Wednesday, Mushonga who is one of the only two House of Assembly representatives for the party claimed that she was not aware that the party was going through a candidates selection process.
“I have not heard any communication from the party since last August I have no knowledge of any process for candidate selection,” she said.
Speaking from New York where she is visiting on a business trip Mushonga said that she was disappointed with the way the party is treating her as a sitting parliamentarian.
The straightforward speaking legislator claimed that by not directly communicating with her on the application process, the party is deliberately trying to get rid of her.
“When I was Secretary General I would send circular to sitting MPs explaining the process of what we call confirmation by structures but like I say I have no idea what and when that process is being done,” she said.
Mushonga resigned as the party Secretary General shortly after the 2013 elections opting to concentrate on her role as a Member of Parliament for the party.
She expressed shock at how the party would conduct the candidates selection process without notifying her as a sitting parliamentarian.
“I am a sitting proportional representation MP, so what process can be there and I am not made aware of it,” she said.
“If you are right that people have been asked to submit aplications and am not notified then one can only be a moron not to understand what message the party is sending,” fumed Mushonga.
Spokesman Siso rubbished Mushonga’s sentiments claiming that she should not expect special treatment from the party for her to be contacted directly as information to the effect was sent to the Matabeleland South Provincial Executive which she is expected to sit in.
“Cde Priscilla is meant to be visiting her constituency and her province where all the information is made available, she can not expect us to go after her and give her information privately,” said Siso.
“Letters were sent to the provincial chairpersons and if she did not get that information from her chairperson then it’s not our problem as a party,” he added.
“She resigned from her position at national level and so relegated herself to an ordinary member of the party and so she must not complain when she is being treated as such,” said Siso.
Mushonga likened her deliberate exclusion from the party processes by the party leadership to a man dicing from a girl in order to pull out of a relationship when he has gotten enough from the girl.
“I think in the spirit of honesty when people are rejecting someone they should say so,” she said.
“This is like a guy who wants to ditch a girl and makes it look like the problem is with the girl. The good thing is that I am a “girl” too and am used to rejection,” said Mushonga uncompromisingly.
Asked to comment on the relationship between Mushonga and the party, Siso categorically stated that the relationship is definitely on a Kamikaze Run and set to come to an end sooner than later.
According to Siso, the party is still considering action to be taken against Mushonga who has not been taking part in party activities and openly showing hostility to the party President, Ncube, and for standing against party decisions on the MDC Alliance coalition.
“One doesn’t need a rocket scientist to inform them that days are numbered in the relationship between Mushonga and the MDC,” said Siso.
“She has not been working with and within the party and went on to defy the President and attended an unsanctioned meeting in South Africa with (Joice) Mujuru and (Thokozani) Khuphe,” he said.
“We are not sure in what capacity she attended that meeting and who she was representing as the President and Secretary-General who were invited snubbed the meeting and withdrew the party from the meeting,” added Siso.
Contacted for a comment party sources in Matabeleland South who would not be mentioned however indicated that Mushonga has been bank rolling party programs in the province and they are disturbed that she is being eliminated from representing the province in parliament.
“The party can not have any better representation than it has been getting from Mushonga,” said the source.
“She has been very instrumental in pushing Matabeleland and women issues in parliament and her exclusion from the party list will be a disastrous move by the party,” she said.
“As far as I know Priscilla has been financing several party programs especially for us women in the province including the running of the provincial party offices of which I am very surprised if she is said not be participating in party activities,” said the source.
“Maybe there are some things that the top leadership know and we are not aware of but as women in the province we have not yet had any issues against her and would have loved to see her go back and finish her business in parliament.”
Efforts to get further clarification from party spokesperson Kurai Chihwayi who is a member of the party standing committee failed as he dropped his line when ZimEye.com called him.