By Paul Nyathi| Defiant, expelled former MDC-T Deputy President Thokozani Khuphe has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government of backing Nelson Chamisa against her in the ongoing factional fights in the opposition party.
Addressing a sizeable group of about 400 sympathetic MDC-T members in Victoria Falls on Friday, Khuphe blamed what she called the government system for taking sides in the internal affairs of the MDC-T.
Khupe’s outburst comes a day after she was expelled from Parliament after the Nelson Chamisa faction wrote to the Speaker saying she no longer represented the MDC-T interests in the august house.
Khuphe claimed parliament erred by accepting a letter from Chamisa to expel her from parliament ignoring her letter she submitted to parliament before hand.
“I wrote a letter to the Speaker of Parliament telling him we have leadership problems hence the House should not accept any correspondence from any of us without consulting the other.
“I did the same in relation to the Political Finances but to my surprise some money was deposited into the account of the MDC-T run by Chamisa. I phoned the Clerk of Parliament because the Speaker (Adv Jacob Mudenda) was on leave and we have communicated with the Ministry of Justice demanding our share. We had already opened a bank account which we initially didn’t have and our lawyers are already working on an urgent appeal,” said Khupe.
She said precedence was set when Tendai Biti left MDC-T to form the People’s Democratic Party and still received similar funds.
“When Biti split the money was shared. Why not this time? Is it because Khupe is a woman or because she comes from a different region? The Biti issue set precedence.
“I have been treated unfairly and am not getting protection from anyone while Chamisa is being protected by the system. That’s why I am sticking to the constitution. What Parliament did is not acceptable and it’s evident that the system is taking sides because how can Parliament decide on the fate of a political party’s members,” she added.
“I was elected deputy president in 2006, 2011 and 2014 where the congress unanimously endorsed me.
“As such we remain the original MDC and we are going to call for an extraordinary congress on April 21 where a leader will be elected. Right now we are busy going around drumming up support for the congress and as acting president I have declared interest for election. I could hire crowds like them but that is only mobocracy and it doesn’t vote, such people don’t vote,” said Dr Khupe.
“I will remain resolute. They have made me stronger and they can’t break my spirit. I can’t be fired by them, how do you fire somebody who is not with you?
“We stated categorically on March 18 that we dissociate ourselves with the Chamisa group when they deviated from the constitution. It’s possible for me to recall them because I am the leader of the original MDC but we can’t talk about that now since we are waiting for the appeal which I have instructed my lawyers to file today,” she said.
The party expelled Khupe and her allies Abednico Bhebhe and Obert Gutu who were organising secretary and national spokesperson respectively before recalling her.