Khupe lays stake on MDC-T

Victor Maphosa Herald Correspondent
Dr Thokozani Khupe on Saturday said she is ready to lead the MDC after the High Court judgment which nullified the appointment of Mr Nelson Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri as MDC-T vice-presidents by the late Morgan Tsvangirai in 2016.

Speaking during a press conference on Saturday, Dr Khupe welcomed the ruling and indicated that she would be guided by it.
“On May 8, Justice Judith Mushore handed down a judgment with regards to our party MDC and placed its leadership back to February 14, 2014 status. I accept and appreciate the judgment and I stand guided by it. The judgment has placed me back as the leader of MDC-T. I therefore accept the huge responsibility that it places on me.”

She said the ruling has raised legal issues which call for all respondents mentioned in the court order to come up with a way forward on how to implement it.

“The judgment has raised legal and salient political issues to which I and my colleagues have a responsibility to. In this regard, we have no choice, but to find a way of talking around on how to move from February 2014 as the court has nullified everything that happened after February 2014,” she said.

“There is therefore an urgent need for dialogue between all the parties mentioned in this court order including the applicant on how we can implement it.

“To achieve this we have instructed our legal counsel to engage the other party’s lawyers so that we can dialogue and together map a way forward. This offer is being made without prejudice, but let it be on record that in the event that other parties are not forthcoming, we are still open to other legal remedies,” Dr Khupe said.

She said MDC was founded on principles of democracy, non-violence, respect of rule of law, constitutionalism and good governance.