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The two parties split from the original MDC in 2009 following disagreement over participation in senatorial elections.
Disgruntled party members who defected yesterday accused the Member of Parliament for the constituency, Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe, and a councillor in the area of treating them inhumanely and said the DPM had infiltrated the party on behalf of Zanu-PF.
The defectors were unveiled at a ceremony held at the MDC offices along 2nd Avenue.
First to denounce Ms Khupe was Ms Ruth Ngwenya, who introduced herself as a former organising secretary of the MDC-T in Bulawayo.
“I was not happy about the treatment that I got from Ms Khupe when I got injured during political violence as I campaigned for her and the party. I still remember when she first came here egqoke okuyi jean lama takkies amhlophe,” said Ms Ngwenya.
Ms Ngwenya said she lied to the Makokoba constituents, together with the party leadership, saying Ms Khupe was from Makokoba, to get her accepted.
Ms Joyce Mpofu, who said she was the former MDC-T Ward 7 chairperson, said she left the party because of the councillor’s greediness.
Mr Simbarashe Chakawuya, who said he used to be a member of the MDC-T youth wing in Makokoba, said he was unhappy that PM Tsvangirai refused to act after there was evidence that DPM Khupe was a Zanu-PF mole.
“Some people are so corrupt that they will never change. We told Mr Tsvangirai that Ms Khupe had a Zanu-PF flag when she came to address one of our meetings and he did not act. I was victimised because I said we do not want the exploitation of the youths through buying them beer to do your political bidding. We want them to be developed as leaders,” said Mr Chakawuya.
He said the PM was making a big mistake by keeping Ms Khupe close to him as she would destroy the party.
Ms Sandra Hamadziripi said she was angry that Ms Khupe chased her away from the party after she had lost her baby through a miscarriage while campaigning for the party.
Other defectors said Ms Khupe was pushing a Zanu-PF agenda as evidenced by her frequent visits to Zanu-PF members who are sick in the ward.
They said they hoped the MDC did not have corrupt tendencies like the MDC-T.
Contacted for comment, DPM Khupe said she did not know the “alleged” defectors and threatened to sue them.
“That is absolute rubbish. I do not know those people. They have never been in our structures and are just a gimmick to gain political mileage for their parties. I do not even recognise their names. I can sue them for spreading malicious lies,” said Ms Khupe.
She said it was utter nonsense that she had brought a Zanu-PF flag to a meeting.
“If you believe that, you will believe anything. I do not even know what that flag looks like,” she said.
She said the people who were alleged to have defected from her party were very mean and shortsighted.
“By virtue of being an MP, I have become a national leader. I visit most sick people in my constituency to give them assistance regardless of their party affiliations. I am not worried about these liars because when the time to vote comes, people will choose their leaders, like they did before, based on the leader’s works,” she said.
Clr Sithole could not be reached on his mobile phone for comment.
Among the MDC leaders who attended the ceremony, were Bulawayo provincial chairperson, Mr Oscar Ncube, Ms Crestabel Sibutha, the organiser for the party’s main province, Ms Linda Sibanda, the deputy secretay in defence, the MDC secretary for information and publicity in the province, Mr Edwin Ndlovu and a member of the party’s national executive Ms Tholakele Khumalo.
Online Reporter