The gloves are off in the opposition MDC as hawks plotting the ouster of leader Nelson Chamisa are reportedly unhappy that the party’s elective congress will be held in October next year, when they would have preferred an early congress to have the leadership mess cleaned up as a matter of urgency.

Highly-placed sources said there was a clique in the opposition pushing for the ouster of Chamisa and replace him with party secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora.

“There are people within the party who are fronting Mwonzora as the next leader of the MDC. These are unhappy that congress has been moved and are now mooting to attack the party leader on social media and paint him as a dictator. We are acutely aware that this is the work of Zanu PF,” a source said.

The fight for the control of MDC appears to be at its peak, with Kuwadzana East legislator Charlton Hwende (MDC), claiming on Twitter at the weekend that MDC members opposed to the party’s elective congress October 2019 date were surrogate candidates sponsored by Zanu PF and war veterans.

“The MDC congress is due in October. This is determined by the date of our 2014 congress. Zanu PF and their surrogate candidate sponsored by the war veterans want an early congress to divert us from the agenda of marching to State House to defend the vote (for) @nelsonchamisa,” the legislator tweeted.

Last week, a letter purporting to have been authored by Mwonzora querying the October 2019 elective congress turned out to be a forgery.

In response, Mwonzora said: “Some political criminals have resorted to forging signatures of MDC officials. They have also been posting fake tweets, with the aim of creating tensions within party leadership and that will not succeed. I did not issue any statement regarding the party’s elective congress at all. The letter circulating on social media is fake.”

Soon after the contested July 30 general elections, Zanu PF showed its hand when war veterans secretary-general and Zanu PF central committee member Victor Matemadanda said the MDC would be in better hands if it was led by Mwonzora than Chamisa, whom they accused of being violent.

Mwonzora distanced himself from the statements, saying he did not need the endorsement of Zanu PF or war veterans, but his latest tiff with his bosses at the party over the expulsions of party members who stood in the polls as independents has set tempers flying.

-Newsday