By Farai D Hove| ANALYSIS| A new party was yesterday formed and on its DAY ONE fired a threat at Nelson Chamisa just as news readers exclaimed saying it is called the MDC-T’ hokoZANU party. This came as a day after Thokozani Khupe was expelled from the MDC-T, her top aide, Obert Gutu announced saying he is now getting a stampede of submissions to join their outcast party.

Obert Gutu claimed on Saturday evening that many people are deserting party president Nelson Chamisa and some even submitting their CVs for top posts.

“Many MDC T cadres throughout the country are contacting us showing their appreciation for our commitment to constitution.

“They are all enquiring how they can submit their CVs for consideration as MP and councillor candidates.”

Gutu made his claims without disclosing the names of the new entrants. It was also unclear what party name Gutu and Khupe are now using. But last Sunday Khupe announced saying she is continuing her own faction of the MDC-T party.

So how powerful and threatening is this new party? A recent study across the Matebeleland province showed that Khupe’s influence outside of the CHAMISA led party is less than 5%. Experts from the foreign based Community Radio Links NGO found that Khupe’s influence is mainly among “the isolated elite groups most who are not resident in Zimbabwe. 85% of this 5% group are based in South Africa and the United Kingdom,” the survey concluded.

But Khupe says she is the MDC-T presidential candidate herself as MDC, and said her offshoot party would also participate in local government and parliamentary polls.

After her notification to ZEC, the MDC-T party led by Nelson Chamisa said it has expelled her from the party, alongside organising secretary Mr Abednigo Bhebhe and spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu.

However ZEC Acting Chief Elections Officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana confirmed receipt of Dr Khupe’s notification.

“Yes, she notified Zec of intention to (participate in the elections),” he said.
On March 20, 2018, Dr Khupe wrote to Zec saying: “This letter serves to notify and inform you that the Movement for Democratic Change, under the leadership of Dr Thokozani Khupe, shall be contesting and participating in local, parliamentary and presidential elections as they may constitutionally occur.

“We, accordingly, request that you extend your invitation to participate in meetings and programmes for political parties which the commission periodically convenes.”