Blow for Khupe as she is booted out of the MDC-T Bulawayo offices

Movement for Democratic Change vice-president Thokozani Khupe who insists she is the legitimate leader of the party has been booted out of the party’s Bulawayo offices after High Court Judge Maxwell Takuva ruled in favour of Bulawayo provincial chairman Gift Banda.

Khupe disputes the leadership of Nelson Chamisa who was elected by the national council after the death of Morgan Tsvangirai saying she will only recognise a leader elected by congress.

Things came to a head when Khupe and her supporters occupied the Bulawayo offices after Tsvangirai’s funeral and violence erupted resulting in the arrest of more than a dozen MDC-T members including Banda, who is also the deputy mayor of Bulawayo.

The MDC-T members have since appeared in court and were remanded to next month.

Khupe was given seven days to accept Chamisa’s leadership or be expelled but that elapsed last Friday.

Chamisa said he was giving her three more days but that too elapsed on Monday.

Justice Takuva today directed the Sheriff of the High Court of Zimbabwe or his lawful deputy or assistant in Bulawayo to evict Khupe or her agents from the offices at No. 41A Fort Street, Bulawayo and restore Banda into peaceful and undisturbed occupation of the property.

He said Khupe and her agents should not to interfere with Banda’s occupation of the offices and should not interfere with or disrupt any meetings, programmes and activities of the Bulawayo province and should not vandalise any property of the MDC-T at the premises.

The judge said police should arrest and detain Khupe and her agents for contempt of court if they failed to comply with the order.

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