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Patson Dzamara

Tichaona Zindoga Political Editor
SERIOUS infighting has erupted between a group of opposition activists behind the abortive anti-government protest in Harare’s Africa Unity Square dubbed #16DaysOccupation (June 1-16), as the leader of the initiative, Ms Lynette Tendai Mudehwe, was yesterday ousted from the campaign.

The Herald reported yesterday that the handful of opposition-linked activists were sharply divided over donor money channelled through Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, the umbrella body of local Western-sponsored organisations and pressure groups and was also rocked by personality clashes.

Ms Mudehwe was involved with Mr Patson Dzamara in a tussle for control of the campaign, leading to harsh exchanges of words, accusations and counter-accusations.

Mr Dzamara is the brother to Itai, a lonesome journalist-turned-activist who came up with the original anti-government “Occupy Africa Unity Square movement” idea, which flopped before he withdrew from public in what opposition — searching for a tragic hero to rally anti-Government sentiment — claims to be an abduction.

The younger Dzamara has sought to patent protests resembling his brother’s failed initiative and this has led to clashes with other activists.

Yesterday, Mr Dzamara seized control of proceedings of the #16DaysOccupation and announced the booting out of Ms Mudehwe. He admitted that the campaign had been rocked by squabbles.

“Any movement in its beginning stages goes through a learning process as it grows and we have settled into the roles that come naturally to us,” he said in a statement.

“In the course of this have arisen internal issues of discipline which we have now dealt with. As a result we wish to make it clear that one Lynette Tendayi Mudehwe is no longer part of the occupation. Her comments and statements should not be construed as representing us. For any correspondence please approach comrades Linda Tsungirirayi Masarira and Patson Dzamara.”

However, Ms Mudehwe said she could not be excluded from proceedings.

She told The Herald: “We as the Zimbabwe Activists Alliance came up with this initiative and when we started we invited Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance, we invited Zinasu as well as the Occupy Africa Unity Square Movement. How then does someone want to banish or evict us from an occupation that we started? Can you evict a person from themselves?”

She also professed ignorance of the statement issued by Mr Dzamara.

She slated Mr Dzamara, who is largely seen among activists an attention-seeker trying to shore personal glory on himself and riding on the coat tails of his brother, of hijacking the campaign.

“This occupation is bigger than any individual as it is about a cause. We will not allow divisive elements and power struggles to divert us from our cause. If they have another agenda, they are free to carry it out, but we are in the square and will remain in the square.

“I have not spoken to Dzamara . . . In a situation where you have people who are leaders in organisations with different causes there are bound to be leadership struggles and personal clashes which I think this is,” she said.

Meanwhile, French Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Laurent Delahousse, reportedly visited Africa Unity Square intending to meet protesters on Monday and some sections of the media quoted him confirming his visit to the park but downplaying his involvement with the no-show.

“I met people that I know in the Park and of course, greeted them. I have nothing to do with the people demonstrating in the park,” he was quoted as saying.

Last year, he wantonly accused Government of having a hand in the so-called abduction of Itai, drawing a sharp response from Harare.