Expelled Movement for Democratic Change vice-president Thokozani Khupe has queried why her faction was not given a share of the $1.8 million meant for the MDC-T under the Political Parties Finance Act when former party secretary-general Tendai Biti was given his share when he broke away in 2014 to form the People’s Democratic Party.
“When Biti split the money was shared. Why not this time? Is it because Khupe is a woman or because she comes from a different region? The Biti issue set precedence,” she said in Victoria Falls yesterday according to the Chronicle.
“I have been treated unfairly and am not getting protection from anyone while Chamisa is being protected by the system. That’s why I am sticking to the constitution. What Parliament did is not acceptable and it’s evident that the system is taking sides because how can Parliament decide on the fate of a political party’s members?”
Khupe was expelled from the MDC-T together with Abednigo Bhebhe and Obert Gutu last month. She was also recalled from Parliament on Thursday.
She has taken both cases to court.
An urgent case in which the faction led by Nelson Chamisa wants to bar her from using the MDC-T name was yesterday postponed to Tuesday.
Khupe insists she is the acting president of the legitimate MDC-T by virtue of the fact that she is the elected deputy.
“I was elected deputy president in 2006, 2011 and 2014 where the congress unanimously endorsed me.
“As such we remain the original MDC and we are going to call for an extraordinary congress on April 21 where a leader will be elected. Right now we are busy going around drumming up support for the congress and as acting president I have declared interest for election. I could hire crowds like them but that is only mobocracy and it doesn’t vote, such people don’t vote,” Khupe said.
“I will remain resolute. They have made me stronger and they can’t break my spirit. I can’t be fired by them, how do you fire somebody who is not with you?
“We stated categorically on March 18 that we dissociate ourselves with the Chamisa group when they deviated from the constitution. It’s possible for me to recall them because I am the leader of the original MDC but we can’t talk about that now since we are waiting for the appeal which I have instructed my lawyers to file today,” she said.
Chamisa was elected president of the party by its national council but Khupe and Gutu argue that the national council does not have any such power.
The fight for the party name could derail the opposition’s election campaign, a move that could work in favour of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front.
For now, Khupe seems to be gaining sympathy through her two cards- gender and ethnicity.
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