By Paul Nyathi
MDC-T president Advocate Nelson Chamisa says that his estranged deputy, Dr Thokozani Khupe, is free to leave the party.
In an interview with state media on Monday, Chamisa’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said the MDC-T will not stop Dr Khupe from leaving.
“We would have loved to work together but if she has taken a decision to walk away, then so be it. This is not a faction, this is the party,” he said.
Mr Tamborinyoka said Dr Khupe’s issue has nothing to do with Adv Chamisa but the party’s organs that elevated him to lead MDC-T.
“This is now not a bilateral issue between her and president Chamisa. It’s an issue between vice president Khupe and the organs of the party. The organs are the national council and the national executive and they have already taken a position regarding this issue. This is an issue between Madam Khupe and the party,” he said.
Tamborinyoka said Dr Khupe failed to heed the party’s calls to shape up in the stipulated seven day ultimatum.
“Now you are telling us that she says she is walking away. It’s up to the party but the party has already pronounced itself, it gave her seven days to shape up,” he said.
Dr Khupe leads a breakaway faction in the MDC-T consisting of the national organising secretary Mr Abednego Bhebhe and national spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu among other members.
Addressing a rally in Bulawayo on Sunday, Dr Khupe announced that she was parting ways with the Adv Chamisa faction but will retain the MDC-T name.
The split follows power struggles pitting Dr Khupe and Adv Chamisa that have rocked the MDC-T since the death of their founding president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai last month.
The differences have resulted in violent skirmishes and court challenges.
Dr Khupe said she can no longer be part of the Adv Chamisa-led MDC-T accusing the other faction of being violent.
In announcing her breakaway, Dr Khupe said she would soon join a coalition with like-minded political parties while Gutu said their outfit was going to join the Dr Joice Mujuru led People’s Rainbow Coalition.