The Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T faction says it has instructed its attorneys to institute legal proceedings against the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC-T to recover $1.8 million allocated to the party under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.

According to the party’s deputy president, Obert Gutu, this follows the withdrawal of a court case in which the Chamisa group was seeking an order to stop the Khupe faction from using the party name and logo.

The Chamisa MDC-T wants the case to be on the common court roll instead of being handled by the courts as an urgent matter.

In response to the move, Gutu said “this shows that we are the legitimate MDC-T.”

He noted that as a result, “The legitimate, lawful and constitutional MDC-T led by Hon. Dr. Thokozani Khupe, has instructed our lawyers to institute legal action to recover the sum of $1,8 million that was improperly and fraudulently paid to our erstwhile comrades in terms of the Political Parties (Finance) Act.”

But the Chamisa group says the Khupe faction is daydreaming.

Stanford Mukasa, publicity and information secretary of the MDC-USA Assembly, told VOA Studio 7 that “they are wasting their time as this won’t even win them an election.”

Khupe and Chamisa have been fighting over the control of the party following the death of MDC founding president Morgan Tsvangirai early this year.