via Khupe’s political career in limbo – Southern Eye
MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe’s political life now hangs by a thread after the MDC Veterans Activists Association (MDC VAA), a grouping of founding members of the opposition party, joined the campaign for her ouster on allegations of fuelling factionalism in Bulawayo.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
The MDC VAA also accuses Khupe of imposing her preferred candidates for top party posts in the city and fuelling tribalism.
Khupe, who is on record denying the charges, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Of late, Khupe has been under attack from various party organs which accused her of attempting to usurp power from MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, particularly after the latter refused to budge on his decision to boycott the June 10 by-elections.
Reports said Khupe and some MDC-T top officials wanted the party to contest the by-elections and retain the seats which fell vacant after the opposition recalled its 21 legislators who defected and formed the MDC-Renewal Team.
Khupe’s rivals accused her of imposing Gift Banda as deputy provincial chairperson. However, Banda’s election was later reversed by the High Court which cited electoral irregularities and called for a rerun.
In a statement yesterday, MDC VAA provincial chairperson Isaac Mpofu said: “We condemn Khupe’s system of imposing strangers into the party and the parachuting of the same to influential positions, without regard to the stipulations of the party constitution.
“This behaviour and practice deserves condemnation in light of imposition of people . . . who have proven to be disloyal to the party. Gorden Moyo is a case in point,” Mpofu said.
Moyo was MDC-T Bulawayo provincial chairperson and Makokoba legislator before he crossed the floor to join the MDC-Renewal Team.
His election to the post was marred by vote-rigging allegations and violence, with opponents accusing Khupe of fuelling the chaos.
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