MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora  has claimed that he is not a sellout and has vowed to fight-off insinuations that he has close links with the Zanu PF party. Mwonzora has also been labelled a power-hungry monster who would do anything and everything to lead the opposition MDC-T. He won the party presidency at a controversial extraordinary congress (EOC) last December, and some party members are now challenging his ascendancy to power. NewsDay (ND) senior reporter Moses Matenga spoke to Mwonzora’s spokesperson Lloyd Damba (LD) on several issues affecting the MDC-T. ND: How is Mwonzora taking accusations that he is a Zanu PF appendage? LD: He is not the first person to be accused of being an agent or a puppet of Zanu PF. Right now, if you go to the Chitungwiza Tennis Court in Unit D, there is graffiti that is more than 13 years old. The graffiti alleges that Job Sikhala (MDC Alliance vice-chairperson) is a Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative and Welshman Ncube (MDC Alliance vice-president) is also CIO and a Zanu PF project. Such graffiti is all over the country. It was painted during the 2005 MDC split. In 2013, we also saw Tendai Biti (MDC Alliance vice-president) and Elton Mangoma being accused of the same. Now, these gentlemen sit at the tip of Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance advisory table. The question now is: Have these gentlemen ceased to be CIO or Zanu PF projects? So if somebody has a divergent opinion or differs with anybody other than Zanu PF, he or she is alleged to be a Zanu PF project? I beg to differ. Mind you, the 2005 split was also along constitutional differences within the party top leadership.  This is the same script today. Mind you our party constitution was not written by Zanu PF, but by us. Secondly, one of those that were very vocal about that narrative and propaganda against Mwonzora, saying that he was working with Zanu PF is one Lillian Timveous, who then was the leader and chief principal officer of a cabal surrounding Chamisa. This was during the run-up to the Gweru congress where she was vying for the post of vice-president of the party. Just recently, the same accuser made her new political home known, Zanu PF. So who is working with Zanu PF here? Thirdly, a Zanu PF apologist can be defined as a person who accommodates Zanu PF members.  Look who is surrounding Chamisa. There is Jim Kunaka, Jeppy Jaboon, Shadreck Mashayamombe, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and Jonathan Moyo — all former Zanu PF functionaries. Look at the people who are surrounding Mwonzora, we have Tapiwa Mashakada, Paurina Mpariwa, Collin Gwiyo, Giles Mutsekwa, Gift Chimanikire, Elias Mudzuri, James Makore and many MDC founding members. Now judge for yourself. ND: What is your 2023 target in terms of numbers seeing that the party’s presidential candidate in 2018 garnered only 45 000 votes while the MDC Alliance got over 2 million votes?  LD: We are in the middle of a restructuring exercise and we have an ordinary congress that is also coming soon, so let me respond to you about our new set target after that congress. S