MDC-T Bulawayo backs Khupe

Politics
MDC-T Bulawayo province has leapt to the party’s vice-president Thokozani Khupe’s defence following allegations that she is sponsoring independent candidates contesting in the June 10 parliamentary by-elections.

MDC-T Bulawayo province has leapt to the party’s vice-president Thokozani Khupe’s defence following allegations that she is sponsoring independent candidates contesting in the June 10 parliamentary by-elections.

By SILAS NKALA

Khupe was accused of defying an MDC-T 2014 congress resolution to boycott elections until the government implements electoral reforms.

Five parliamentary seats are up for grabs in Bulawayo after the MDC-T recalled legislators aligned to MDC Renewal Team.

Khupe has reportedly been at loggerheads with MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai over the boycott A group of disgruntled former MDC-T parliamentarians reportedly met Morgan Tsvangirai a few weeks ago and told him that Khupe was fuelling divisions in the party and creating a separate centre of power.

Former Chikomba Central legislator Moses Jiri who convened the meeting confirmed meeting Tsvangirai but refused to reveal what they discussed.

MDC-T Bulawayo deputy spokesperson Felix Magalela Mafa Sibanda yesterday described the accusations levelled against Khupe as unfounded.

“Bulawayo provincial executive takes these unfounded allegations against VP Khupe with great exception to say the least,” Sibanda said.

“In the first place, former legislators have no constitutional forum to formally meet with the president of the party.

“Hence whatever might have been discussed therein is a private matter and does not affect the party’s operations.

“We hold the former Chikomba Central legislator Moses Jiri accountable for abusing the presidential office in attempting to blackmail the resolute VP Khupe,” he added.

“Can Jiri be open and tell the country at large who represented former Bulawayo legislators?”

Khupe has previously warned her detractors to stay away from her, declaring “they will not do a Mujuru on me”.

She was referring to the way the ruling Zanu PF party brutally removed former Vice-President Joice Mujuru from her lofty position in the party and government in the run-up to the party’s congress last year.