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22 January 2022
Prosperity Sikhosana
Lindie Dube
The MDC has split yet again.
The disintegration of the original MDC formation began years back when Welshman Ncube his own formation, that was recognised as MDC-N split from the MDC Alliance. Ncube was followed by Job Sikhala’s MDC 99 then Tendai Biti’s PDP.
While the electorate is confused with what is happening with the MDC factions, the one led by Douglas Mwonzora and the other led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa, Dr. Thokozani Khuphe announced disagreement with Mwonzora.
Two weeks ago, Mwonzora declared that even if he leads MDC-T he is also the leader of MDC-A. He went on to write a letter to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission barring any other person/persons or organizations from using the name MDC-Alliance.
“By virtue of the Composite Political Agreement, signed on the 5th of August 2017, and the subsequent meetings of the MDC-Alliance, I assumed the leadership of the MDC-Alliance.”
While this confusion is still fresh in the minds of the electorate with Chamisa’s outfit vowing to continue using the name MDC-Alliance, Khuphe has decided to break from Mwonzora and go her own direction.
Dr. Khuphe announced the split at Mcdonald Hall in Mzilikazi yesterday afternoon.
Ironically, Khupe was on Thursday suspended by Mwonzora on allegations of violating the party’s constitution. It was alleged that Khupe took MDC-T matters to court.
The relationship between Mwonzora and Khupe has always been murky. In 2018, when MDC Alliance became a party and placed Chamisa as president, Khuphe did not take the decision well as she announced her disengagement with the Alliance of seven parties.
She broke away and claimed to have retained the party that was found by the late leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mwonzora was to follow Khuphe as he believed that Khuphe was correct and was following the MDC-T constitution.
A lot, thereafter happened with Mwonzora taking Chamisa to court as well as wrestling the presidency of MDC-T from Khuphe.
In her prepared speech, Dr. Khupe confirmed that MDC-T has split into two. She accused Douglas Mwonzora of violating the party’s constitution.
“This day, the 21st of January, the year 2022 I announce that the MDC-T has split and there are now two MDC-T formations. One led by yours truly Dr. Thokozani Khupe who is also Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and the other,” said Khupe.
Khupe further stated that Mwonzora broke the law and failed to lead by example on a few occasions.
“Douglas Mwonzora went to the extent of lying before a court of law. In his sworn Affidavit filed at the Bulawayo High Court.”
Khupe said Mwonzora lied to court and claimed he did not recall anyone when in actual fact he connived with his secretary General Paurina Mpariwa and wrote a letter to the Local Government Minister July Moyo.
The letter allegedly read that Josiah Makombe the Mayor of Gweru had ceased to be a member of MDC-T and was to be recalled as Councillor for ward 2.
Mwonzora allegedly further misled the courts by stating that the MDC-T does not recall anyone without due process. However Makombe has up to now not received a letter of him being a non-member of MDC-T.
Khuphe went on to explain that Mwonzora had formed a new Alliance with the likes of Lucia Matibenga of PDP and Shupikai Mandaza of MDC-N.
It is for this reason that Mwonzora alerted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission that he will contest the upcoming election under the banner MDC Alliance.
“In so doing, Mwonzora has fired himself because in terms of the MDC-T constitution article 5.10(a);
“Membership of the party shall be terminated if a member joins or supports a political party other than the MDC-T,” said Hon. Khupe.
This MDC fiasco has left many members of the public in deep smoke. This seesaw is affecting the electorate who are dumbstruck as to who to follow.
Whether it was a ploy by Mwonzora to confuse the public by announcing that his MDC formation will contest the by elections slated for March as MDC-Alliance, the announcement by Khuphe that there are now two MDC-T formations makes the situation worse.
Thus, Alex Magaisa the former advisor of the then Prime Minister of Zimbabwe late Morgan Tsvangirai said:
“With by-elections now a certainty, Mwonzora’s next strategy was to avoid Chamisa’s competition. The easiest way to win a race is to prevent your stiffest competition from competing.”
Magaisa further noted that in order to win the competition, Mwonzora had to grab the name that Chamisa’s party is using, knowing “the system will back him just like it has backed previous appropriations. This would frustrate Chamisa or leave his party nameless.”
There would be a field day at the nomination court on the 26th of this month with ballot paper flooded with several MDC formations with several acrynomies.
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