A war of words pitting opposition MDC Alliance parliamentarian Charlton Hwende and his Zanu PF counterpart Energy Mutodi erupted on Twitter after the latter accused the former of asking his supporters to garb ruling party regalia while donating mealie-meal for the elderly in Harare’s Kuwadzana suburb.
Hwende who is national secretary-general for the Nelson Chamisa-led opposition, recently mobilised funds to procure mealie-meal for the underprivileged elderly in his constituency to ease their burdens during the extended 35-day Covid-19 national lockdown. He pledged to assist all those aged 65 and above regardless of the beneficiaries’ political persuasions.
While his gesture seemed to be receiving plaudits from across the political divide, Mutodi who is also deputy Information minister claimed that Hwende had asked some of the opposition supporters to wear Zanu PF regalia in typical political grandstanding.
“We have received reports Mr Chalton Hwende of MDC is rallying his Kuwadzana supporters, asking some of them to wear ZANU PF regalia before handing over sacks of maize meal in front of the camera. We condemn such kind of primitive political posturing (and) grandstanding,” Mutodi tweeted.
Mutodi’s poorly evidenced claims come despite revelations that the Kuwadzana East legislator was working hand-in-gloves with a Comrade Jaya, who is a Zanu PF shadow councillor from his constituency to distribute 300 pockets of 10kg meal meal.
And, reacting to Mutodi’s claims in vernacular Shona, Hwende mocked the Zanu PF minister who is a former sungura musician saying he should concentrate on ‘ndombolo music’ and mind his own business.
“Imboita zvekuridza ndombolo undisiye iwe (concentrate on your ndombolo music and leave me alone),” Hwende said
Micro-blogging social networking platform, Twitter, has become a vicious arena for political fights involving politicians and ghost commentators alike.
Zwnews
