MDC-T Splits as Thokozani Khupe 'Dumps' High-Riding Nelson Chamisa
Khupe promised Chamisa, who was endorsed by two critical organs of the party as acting president, fireworks saying they will meet at the ballot box.
WAS — Zimbabwe’s largest opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Party (MDC) once led by Morgan Tsvangirai, is heading for a split. Tsvangirai’s long time right-hand person, Thokozani Khupe, announced Sunday that she will no longer associate herself with what she described as a “violent faction” led by another vice president Nelson Chamisa, who assumed the leadership of the party before the former trade unionist was laid to rest last month. Khupe said Chamisa, who was endorsed by two critical organs of the party as acting president, should expect fireworks, noting that they will meet at the ballot box. Khupe claims that she is the rightful president of the party and not Chamisa, who has been endorsed by the MDC-T party and MDC Alliance as their presidential candidate in the forthcoming election. "We cannot work with people who are violent. Today (Sunday) we discussed this issue at our meeting and agreed that we should not be identified with people who don't respect the party's constitution. "So, from now onwards we are doing our own thing. We will meet at the ballox box," said Khupe, who was interviewed by VOA Studio 7 soon after an MDC-T (Khupe) meeting at the Amphitheater in Bulawayo. The furious Khupe said Chamisa violated the constitution when he took over the leadership of the party after Tsvangirai's death. Chamisa was endorsed by the MDC-T National Executive and National Assembly to take "succeed" Tsvangirai. On the same day, he held a rally in Gweru, Midlands, which was attended by thousands of people. The rally was also attended by MDC Alliance principals - Professor Welshman Ncube, Agrippa Mutambara (Zimbabwe People First), Tendai Biti (People's Democratic Party) and several others. The MDC has split over the years into various groups that were disgruntled over Tsvangirai’s leadership.