Zimpapers Logo

Mr Nelson Chamisa

THE opposition Movement for Democratic Change Alliance holds its star rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo today amid a messy fallout between MDC-T president Advocate Nelson Chamisa and former party deputy president, Dr Thokozani Khupe. For now, the youthful leader of the MDC-T appears to have vanquished his opponent in their fight for control of the party and has effectively taken control of the levers of power ahead of crucial elections slated for between July and August.

Adv Chamisa’s seizure of power has been acrimonious, calculated, bloody and ruthless amid concerns around the trampling of the MDC constitution and bludgeoning of opponents campaigning against his anointment as heir to the late party president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

Supporters of Dr Khupe point to the “unconstitutional” appointment of Messrs Elias Mudzuri and Adv Chamisa as co-vice presidents of the party by Mr Tsvangirai as the genesis of the leadership wrangle rocking the MDC-T.

Dr Khupe, who was elected at the last party congress, felt undermined by the unilateral move which she reasoned was made to dilute her influence and position the other VPs for possible elevation to the helm. She rightly felt aggrieved by the actions of her leader to the extent that she began boycotting meetings and other party events. Her defiance of Mr Tsvangirai invited the wrath of his minions who attacked her along with her supporters at the Bulawayo provincial offices.

Matters came to a head at the funeral of Mr Tsvangirai in Buhera when Dr Khupe, secretary general Mr Douglas Mwonzora and organising secretary Mr Abednico Bhebhe were barricaded in a thatched hut by youths loyal to Adv Chamisa and almost burnt to death inside. The watching world was alarmed at the violent nature of the attack with Western embassies lining up to condemn the actions of the youths whom Dr Khupe alleged had been sent by the Chamisa group.

In the aftermath of the funeral, Adv Chamisa subsequently took control of the party after being “unanimously” endorsed by the party’s national council. Dr Khupe has, on the other hand, claimed to be the legitimate acting president and has been holding meetings and establishing parallel structures throughout the country ahead of a proposed extraordinary congress set for Bulawayo on April 21.

In essence, the MDC-T has effectively split with Dr Khupe, Mr Bhebhe and former spokesman, Mr Obert Gutu fronting a breakaway faction. What complicates matters is that Dr Khupe and her group are adamant that they will use the official MDC-T name and logo during campaigns and will field parliamentary, senate and council candidates under the MDC-T banner during the harmonised elections.

Dr Khupe will be the presidential candidate — a move which will effectively split the opposition vote. It has long been accepted that the Matabeleland region is a stronghold of the MDC-T, particularly in Bulawayo. Events in the party recently therefore could weaken the party given that voters will be split between two factions of the MDC-T and other parties.

Zanu-PF has already taken control of Matabeleland South (it swept all parliamentary seats in the 2013 elections) and huge swathes of Matabeleland North. It has also established a foothold in Bulawayo where it captured six seats during by-elections held after 2013.

The MDC-T should therefore be alive to the fact that it is no longer the dominant party it was between 2000 and 2009 where it rode on a protest vote to win most urban seats. There is also growing disillusionment with the treatment meted out to Dr Khupe with women voters particularly irked by the derogatory and sexist remarks made by the Chamisa group.

The bloodied images of supporters of Dr Khupe in the wake of an attack at their Bulawayo provincial offices could also be permanently imprinted in the minds of the people of Matabeleland who might view her sidelining as ample evidence that the MDC-T does not value their worth.

Adv Chamisa, who now appears to prefer Professor Welshman Ncube (whose party fared dismally during the 2013 elections) as his preferred ally in Matabeleland, could literally be flying into a storm today as he might face a fierce backlash.

Already, party heavyweights in the region (Dr Khupe, Mr Bhebhe, Mr Lovemore Moyo) have left the MDC-T faction led by Adv Chamisa and it remains to be seen whether it can survive this setback.

Adv Chamisa — an excitable character given to making pie in the sky promises — faces a stern test at White City today where he might face some supporters of Dr Khupe with an axe to grind. He could be in line for a rude awakening which, perhaps, could jerk him back to reality and make him realise that he is not yet ripe for the highest office in the land.