Herald Reporters
THE political circus in the MDC continues with the party’s vice president Dr Thokozani Khupe announcing yesterday that she had broken ranks with former president Mr Douglas Mwonzora to form a splinter MDC-T.
This followed her suspension from the main opposition on Thursday by Mr Mwonzora who alleged that she was supping with adversaries and fermenting dissent in the fractious MDC.
Last year, Dr Khupe lost the race to lead the country’s main opposition now led by Mr Mwonzora, but as a face-saver, she was appointed the party’s first vice president. However, the relationship between the two has always been feeble.
In a notice, Dr Khupe’s lawyers, Ncube Attorneys advised Mr Mwonzora that the purported suspension of their client was null and void.
“We have been retained by Dr Thokozani Khupe in this matter as of this date (yesterday). Our client has instructed ourselves to respond to a letter from the office of the President of the MDC-T to our client dated 12 January 2022, signed by yourself as the President of the MDC -T, by which letter you purported to suspend our client’s from the party (MDC – T).
“Our client instructs us to respond to her purported suspension from the party as follows; Our client’s purported suspension by, particularly, the person of Douglas Togarasei Mwonzora is a political and legal façade for the reason that (a) On the 3 of January 2022, the said Douglas Togarasei Mwonzora declared himself President of another political entity known as the Movement for Democratic Change, Alliance (MDC – Alliance) in a formal letter originated by himself to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. In the said letter, the said Douglas Togarasei Mwonzora indicated that he and his lot would be contesting by-elections at local government and national government levels as the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC-Alliance).”
But Mwonzora remained adamant that he remains the leader of the country’s main opposition party, arguing that his deputy breached the MDC constitution and was thus suspended.
“Being of the reasonable view that you have acted in breach of the party constitution, its rules and regulations and acting in terms of clause 9.1.2.3 of the party constitution, I hereby suspend you from the party pending investigations and possible disciplinary action.
“This suspension is with immediate effect. I am of the view that you have breached key provisions of the real change code of ethics for all office bearers of the party as well as the disciplinary code of conduct and regulations contained in the party constitution,” said Mr Mwonzora.
While Mr Mwonzora insisted that he is the bona fide leader of the opposition in its entirety, Dr Khupe declared at a press conference yesterday that the party has now officially split into two.
The comic drama in the opposition is taking place a few weeks before the country goes for crucial by-elections on March 26, and a year before the watershed 2023 elections.