The leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change Tsvangirai (MDC-T), Thokozani Khupe was heavily embarrassed on Wednesday at the funeral of Mbuya Chamisa, the mother of MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa at Chidyamakuni Village, Makwiriwindi area of Chiwara.
Mbuya Chamisa died on Monday at her rural home in Gutu, the cause of her death has not yet been revealed.
Khupe apparently turned up at the burial to mourn her MDC rival, Chamisa, before she was turned away by security officials at the homestead. Her spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni confirmed the incident to ZimEye.com.
Eye witnesses said that when Khupe’s vehicles arrived at the gate the angry youths barred her from entering the Chamisa residence.
“The vehicles were stopped at the gate as Khupe tried to enter the residence,” said one eye witness.
“The organising secretary, Amos Chibaya, intervened but to no success as the youths vowed to beat up Khupe and her aides.“
“Chibaya had to ask Chamisa to come so that the issue can be resolved,” the eye witness said.
The leader of the Labour, Economists and African Democrats (LEAD), Linda Masarira posted on Twitter this Wednesday criticising the incident. She said:
I hear that @DrThoko_Khupe has been embarrassed & chased away @nelsonchamisa mothers funeral. What happened to Ubuntu? Since when do we chase away people at funerals. It is high time that @nelsonchamisa calls his supporters to order. A leader should instil values in his followers.
Khupe and Chamisa are fighting over the leadership of the MDC which has, since 1999, been under the leadership of the late former Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai unto succumbing to cancer in 2018.