TOP MDC-T officials who lost influential posts during the November congress are reportedly plotting to pass a vote of no confidence on deputy president Thokozani Khupe and replace her with the party’s national vice-chairman Morgan Komichi.
BY NQOBILE BHEBHE
Party insiders from Bulawayo yesterday told Southern Eye that the broader plot is “to weaken Bulawayo and resemble Harare”.
The plan is reportedly set to be implemented at the next seating of the national council, sources said.
“We have been made aware of a plot to oust Khupe in the next seating of the national council. They want to do a (former Vice-President) Joice Mujuru (purge) on Khupe. The idea is to remove all those that won the top executive posts and usher in a team that lost their posts,” the legislative source said.
According to the sources, Komichi is set to take over from Khupe and former Speaker of Parliament and current national chairman Lovemore Moyo wiil be catapulted to the post of second vice-president if the proposed constitutional changes are approved.
Last year, MDC–T plunged into turmoil when plans to amend the party’s constitution and introduce a second vice-president’s position were shot down.
If the covert changes are implemented, Kuwadzana East MP and secretary for policy co-ordination in the national executive council Nelson Chamisa would become party secretary-general replacing Douglas Mwonzora.
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Chamisa lost to Mwonzora for the party’s secretary-general’s post during congress.
The former organising secretary was said to have lobbied the national council members to object the move to participate in 14 by-elections which could have seen Mwonzora and a number of losing MPs in the July 31 2013 elections bouncing back into Parliament.
In the new scheme of things, Charlton Hwende will become treasurer-general, Theresa Makoni (national chair) while Tabitha Khumalo will replace Obert Gutu as national spokesperson.
“The losers are plotting to take hold of the party through a back door. In Bulawayo they are working with Dorcas Sibanda and Matson Hlalo to destabilise the party and party president Morgan Tsvangirai is giving them an ear,” another legislator added.
Contacted for comment, Gutu downplayed the sub-plots and insisted that MDC-T was focused attending to the deteriorating political and economic crisis in the country.
“The leadership of the MDC is united and focused on dealing with measures to attend to the deteriorating political and economic crisis in the country,” Gutu said.
“There is an impending food crisis in most parts of the country and it is our pre-occupation as the leadership of the biggest and most popular political party in Zimbabwe, to address these national concerns rather than dwelling on fictional and non-existent power struggles within the party.”
The renewed infighting has been heightened by the decision by the MDC-T not to participate in the June 10 by-elections.
After re-calling 21 rebel MPs who left the party to join the Tendai Biti Renewal project, the party’s national council recently voted not to participate in the by-elections
