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Pamela Shumba Bulawayo Bureau
THE breakaway MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe today faces a moment of truth as it holds its congress to elect substantive leaders after splitting from the group under Mr Nelson Chamisa.
MDC-T officially split last month and Dr Khupe, national organising secretary Mr Abednego Bhebhe and national spokesperson Obert Gutu were fired from the party. Dr Khupe was locked in a succession battle with Mr Chamisa to replace the party’s founding president MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, who died in February.
The party’s national council endorsed Mr Chamisa as Mr Tsvangirai’s successor, but Dr Khupe refused to recognise him arguing that she was the legitimate MDC-T president.
Dr Khupe’s camp, announcing its breakaway, said it could no longer work with its colleagues accusing them of being violent and violating the MDC-T constitution.
The camp’s congress comes at the back of challenges which include the splitting of the parties and the bitter fight over the ownership of the MDC-T party name and symbols pitting the two rival camps.
Dr Khupe’s spokesperson Mr Witness Dube yesterday said all was set for the party’s special congress to be held at White City Stadium in Bulawayo today.
“We’re finalising preparations for the congress and we’re well on course. We’re confident in everything that we’re doing.
“We’re not worried about numbers because we started on a good note in terms of membership. We’re actually oversubscribed and we can’t even afford to transport all our members to the congress. We don’t need to compete for members,” said Mr Dube.
He said the camp was in the process of accrediting its members who will attend the congress, with adequate security having been put in place.
Dr Khupe’s camp protested against Mr Chamisa’s rise to power arguing that his group did not follow the party constitution in elevating him.
It has also blamed Mr Chamisa’s faction for violence that has rocked MDC-T since the death of its founding president.
Various organisations and individuals have condemned the violence within the MDC-T and called for political tolerance among members of the opposition.
Online Reporter