MDC-T says there is no rift between Tsvangirai and Khupe

The Morgan Tsvangirai-led faction of the Movement for Democratic Change has denied that there is a rift between the party leader and his deputy Thokozani Khupe saying this was a figment of imagination which sought to export the chaos in the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front to the MDC.

In a statement today, Tsvangirai’s spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka said there was a strong and deliberate media campaign to equalize the MDC with ZANU-PF, where a rift within the presidency led to serious ramifications that are still being felt both within the party and in the government.

“It is only in ZANU-PF where a President and his deputy in the same party can be said to have ‘rival’ supporters and surely, the mischief around that ZANU-PF reality should never be exported to the MDC.

“We are the MDC and we are different. For the record, the MDC leader and his deputy have a very good working relationship and none of them is working to undermine the Congress resolution not to participate in elections in the absence of reforms,” Tamborinyoka said.

The rift between Tsvangirai and Khupe is alleged to have arisen following the recalling of 21 seats held by the Renewal Team which necessitated by elections on 10 June.

The MDC-T has vowed to boycott elections until electoral reforms.

Khupe is reported to have been against the boycotting of elections saying this was surrendering Bulawayo to ZANU-PF because voters in the city had never elected ZANU-PF candidates except in the 10 years after the unity government of ZANU and the Zimbabwe African People’s Union, before the formation of the MDC.

Full statement:

Monday, 18 May 2015

 No rift in the MDC Presidency

Press reports have been awash with false news about a purported rift between President Morgan Tsvangirai and Vice President Thokozani Khupe.

Some of the false reports have been so laughable as to allege that the MDC leader was booed and “humiliated” during his No Elections Without Reforms campaign in Matabeleland over the weekend.

For the record, there were no disturbances during President Tsvangirai’s campaign tour in Matabeleland, where his mission was to explain the party’s Congress resolution to only participate in elections predicated on agreed electoral and political reforms.

The MDC leader had successful rallies in Phumula, Mpopoma and Tsholotsho where he explained the unequivocal party position taken by Congress, the supreme decision-making body of the party, not to participate in any election or by-election in the absence of key reforms.

 It is a figment of anyone’s imagination to allege a rift between President Tsvangirai and Hon. Khupe.

 It is palpably mischievous to insinuate that the Party Vice President is for participation in the forthcoming by-elections in violation of a Congress resolution of a Party where she is Vice President.

There is a strong and deliberate media campaign to equalize the MDC with Zanu PF, where a rift within the Presidency led to serious ramifications that are still being felt both within the party and in government.

It is only in Zanu PF where a President and his deputy in the same party can be said to have “rival” supporters and surely, the mischief around that Zanu PF reality should never be exported to the MDC.

We are the MDC and we are different. For the record, the MDC leader and his deputy have a very good working relationship and none of them is working to undermine the Congress resolution not to participate in elections in the absence of reforms.

In any case, President Tsvangirai was never “humiliated” during his campaign in Bulawayo and Tsholotsho over the weekend as alleged in mischievous press reports. In fact, he remains emboldened by the support he received from ordinary Zimbabweans who fully appreciate and understand the position taken by the party not to participate in acts of fraud disguised as elections.

No amount of propaganda will either divide the MDC presidency or sway the party from its avowed and well-considered position to only contest in elections predicated on true reforms that will ensure a credible outcome.

Luke Tamborinyoka

Presidential Spokesperson

Movement for Democratic Change

(365 VIEWS)