By Paul Nyathi

Ousted MDC-T National Spokesperson Obert Gutu made a surprise appearance at the ill fated party meeting in Bulawayo on Sunday declaring his suspension from the party as baseless.

Gutu was last week suspended from the party pending dismissal by the National Council allegedly for not adhering to party policies.

On Sunday he was a surprise attendant of the meeting suspected to have been a meeting to launch a split of the party.

The meeting ended prematurely when party supporters loyal to new party President Nelson Chamisa stormed into the meeting and thoroughly beat up the people who were attending the meeting ordering them to leave the offices.

Violent clashes ensued resulting in about ten people being ferried to nearby Galen House Medical Centre.

Addressing journalists on his presence in the meeting, Gutu said that there was nothing wrong with him attending the party meeting as he considers himself as still the official spokesperson of the party.

“I am not suspended,” Gutu said.

“The National Council that claims to have suspended me is bogus and does not have the authority to suspend me,” he said.

Meanwhile, deputy President Thokozani Khuphe continued to declare herself as the genuine leader of the opposition party.

Speaking in an interview with the South African Broadcasting Corporation on the sidelines of the violence skirmishes, Khuphe said that she does not recognise Chamisa as the President of the party.

“I do not recognise Chamisa because he was not elected by congress,” said Khuphe.

“I am the genuine acting President of the MDC-T as I was elected by congress in 2014,” said Khuphe.

“They will see that we are the genuine leaders of the party and that we have the people,” vowed Khuphe in reference to the Chamisa faction.

Khuphe who has been given a seven day ultimatum to accept Chamisa’s leadership or be kicked out of the party appears to be adamant and prepared to be dismissed from the party.

The move by Khuphe appears to be leading to yet another split of the MDC-T.