Khupe defies court order 

Source: Khupe defies court order – Sunday News March 18, 2018

Vusumuzi Dube, Sunday News Reporter
EMBATTLED MDC-T co-vice-president Dr Thokozani Khupe has rubbished a recent High Court order barring her and her allies from using the party’s Bulawayo provincial offices.

In a statement released by her personal assistant, Mr Witness Dube, Dr Khupe insisted that the party offices were accessible to everyone regardless of differences.

In the statement, which is under the MDC-T logo and stating; “From the office of the president”, Dr Khupe accuses those who had purportedly barred them from the provincial offices as enemies of constitutionalism, democracy, rule of law and freedom of speech and association.

“May I also clarify that the purported eviction of MDC-T acting president from the Bulawayo provincial offices, through a High Court ‘spoliation order’, is a grossly misleading piece of information. Dr Khupe’s opposing affidavit to the order that was sought by Bulawayo provincial chairperson (Councillor Gift Banda) was expressly for the purpose of challenging the false allegations which Clr Banda had stated in his founding affidavit.

“The MDC-T Bulawayo provincial offices was and must always remain accessible to all members of the party regardless of differences in points of view and opinion,” reads the statement.

The ruling by Bulawayo High Court Judge, Justice Maxwell Takuva followed an urgent chamber application by Clr Banda seeking an order directing the Sheriff of the High Court to take necessary measures to evict Dr Khupe and members of her faction from the party offices.

Dr Khupe and her allies seized control of the offices during violent skirmishes which rocked the party on 4 March. Mr Banda, who is aligned to a faction led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa, was together with his sympathisers subsequently barred by their rivals from conducting meetings at the party offices.

In his ruling, Justice Takuva said Dr Khupe and her group should not interfere or disrupt their rivals’ meetings and other activities at the offices. Dr Khupe and her allies were also barred from visiting the premises following the violent skirmishes.

Meanwhile, Dr Khupe has vowed to go ahead with today’s rally set to be held at Bulawayo’s Amphitheatre despite calls from Clr Banda and his executive for party members to boycott it as it was not sanctioned by the party. In the same statement, it is revealed that the rally has, however, already been cleared by the police.

“The MDC-T meeting set for Sunday 18 March, at Bulawayo Amphitheatre is a legal meeting that is going ahead as planned. It will be addressed by the acting president, Dr Thokozani Khupe, and other leaders in the party including national organising secretary, Abednico Bhebhe, and national information and publicity secretary, Obert Gutu. ZRP has cleared this meeting, and has pledged full provision of police security,” reads the statement.

Dr Khupe has been leading a group of senior party members opposed to Adv Chamisa’s elevation to the helm of the party, after the death of Morgan Tsvangirai.

They have also opposed the involvement of the party in the MDC Alliance coalition, which has seen them campaigning against the coalition. Their bone of contention being the allocation of Parliamentary seats. Its has also been reported that a number of groupings aligned to Dr Khupe last week held primary elections in a couple of districts in Bulawayo. The primary elections were held in Pumula and Luveve constituencies. Contacted for comment, Mr Bhebhe declined to comment saying he was not giving any interviews to the media.

Meanwhile, fresh turmoil has rocked MDC-T over party leader Mr Chamisa’s move to protect sitting MPs from contesting party primary elections. Our Harare Bureau understands that MDC-T received applications for aspiring MPs and councillors on 15 March 2018. The opposition party’s national elections directorate will meet on Tuesday to consider the applications which the national council will either endorse or reject on Thursday.

An aspiring MDC-T MP, who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation, said, “Why should Chamisa protect the sitting legislators? There must be a sinister agenda.”

Information at hand also shows sitting MPs were asked to pay US$1 000 each to the party as part of the deal to ensure they do not have to go through primaries. Those angling for constituencies not presently held by MDC-T paid US$150 each as “application fees” to contest primaries. Prospective urban councilors parted with US$50 per head and those going for rural council paid US$10.