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within the MDC-T say Ms Khupe’s actions are a result of her loss of support in Makokoba in Bulawayo, which she currently represents in the House of Assembly.
Reports say a team led by Mbizo representative Mr Settlement Chikwinya has since been sent to the region to legitimise the suspensions.
“As you might be aware the infighting in Bulawayo has resulted in Ms Khupe losing support from the party’s structures in the constituency and she has set her eyes on Bubi constituency in the next elections.
“She is now working with the deputy organising secretary Mr Abednico Bhebhe to remove people she views hostile to her entrance into the province.
“These moves resulted in the suspension of Mr Thembinkosi Sibindi who is also interested in Bubi and Ms Angeline Kheswa (deputy provincial secretary) at a provincial management committee meeting held last Saturday at Mpumalanga in Hwange,” the source said. The meeting was chaired by Mr Sengezo Tshabangu (provincial chairman) while Hwange West House of Assembly representative Mr Gift Mabhena who is also the provincial secretary also attended.
The Khupe faction allegedly wants to impose Mr Bhebhe who is eyeing the Nkayi South seat, Sijabuliso Mguni and Ms Rosemary Maphosa who is Water Resources Development and Management Minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo’s wife.
Ms Maphosa wants to contest the Tsholotsho South constituency.
Another source said a number of officials were also lined for suspension and these include Hwange Central House of Assembly representative Mr Bruce Tshuma, Hwange Rural District Council chairman Mr Cosmas Ndlovu and his deputy Mr Salani Nkomazana.
The other official is Victoria Falls deputy mayor Ms Patricia Mwale who is alleged to be too close to Mayor Nkosilathi Jiyane who resigned from the party following moves to suspend him over alleged links to Zanu PF.
“Mr Tshuma is alleged to be close to Zanu-PF and was reportedly seen at Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu’s rally in Dinde, Hwange a week and a half ago.
“Mr Ndlovu and Mr Nkomazana are facing allegations of corruption and accused of allocating stands to soldiers, policemen and other civil servants and also for allegedly campaigning for Professor Welshman Ncube,” added another source
Contacted for comment Mr Sibindi confirmed the developments, but referred further questions to MDC-T national organising secretary Mr Nelson Chamisa.
“Yes there is something like that, but I cannot comment right now but you can talk to the national organising secretary,” he said.
Mr Chamisa confirmed that a team had been dispatched to Matabeleland North, but was evasive on the issue of suspensions.
“The team has been sent on an ongoing exercise to appraise performance of elected officials. It is a long standing mandate from the national executive, however, no one has been suspended” he said.
MDC-T has been rocked by factionalism in the Matabeleland provinces and rival factions aligned to Bulawayo provincial chairman Mr Gorden Moyo and Mzilikazi Senator Matson Hlalo fought running battles in the run up to provincial elections.
The party’s former deputy spokesperson Ms Thabitha Khumalo has since lost her post as party deputy spokesperson, while Mr Moyo has also embarked on a crusade to purge people aligned to Mr Hlalo.
A number of MDC-T supporters in Makokoba defected to Prof Ncube’s faction as a result of the fights.
Online Reporter