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Thokozani Khupe

Nduduzo Tshuma  Political Editor
MDC-T deputy president Thokozani Khupe is considering boycotting today’s rally at Masvingo’s Mucheke Stadium following threats of humiliation as her fallout with party leader Morgan Tsvangirai deepens, sources said last night.Instead, Khupe and members of her faction, sources said, will attend a funeral wake and burial of a relative to a senior member from Bulawayo.

Reports of Khupe’s planned boycott come amid deepening discord in the party’s “stronghold” with Bulawayo provincial structures aligned to Khupe insisting that Nomvula Mguni is still the acting chairperson.

The province is defying a resolution of the party’s national council this week that lifted the suspension of Bulawayo Central legislator Dorcas Sibanda and reinstated her as acting provincial chairperson.

Khupe’s planned boycott of today’s rally comes after threats this week by some MDC-T members to humiliate her for advocating for the party to take part in the June 10 by-elections, particularly in Bulawayo province where there are five vacant seats. The MDC-T swept all parliamentary seats in the province in July 2013, but following the expulsion of 21 rebel MPs who wanted Tsvangirai gone, including five from Bulawayo, the party appears set to allow Zanu-PF an unlikely foothold after deciding on a boycott.

While shying away from the by-elections demanding “electoral reforms”, the MDC-T has moved to fill seven vacant seats which it won in 2013 under the proportional representation system.

Khupe broke down and cried during a meeting of the MDC-T national council two weeks ago after a barrage of insults from party activists in Harare who accused her of advocating for the party to contest in the by elections against party policy.

Khupe was not reachable for comment yesterday.

MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu confirmed the rally but said he was not aware of Khupe’s boycott.

“I don’t know about that. As far as I know, we’re united as the leadership, we’re working together to bring Zimbabwe out of the economic turmoil. We won’t listen to or be deterred by rumours,” he said.

However, sources said Khupe decided not to attend the meeting fearing embarrassment at the hands of rowdy party activists.

“Khupe is seriously considering not going to the rally. She has also told her loyalists not to go to the rally to avoid humiliation,” said an MDC-T source.

“A senior party member lost a relative in Bulawayo, so Khupe’s camp has found the perfect excuse. Temperatures are high in the party and her showing up in the Masvingo rally will definitely lead to fireworks.”

In the face of attacks on Khupe by junior party members, Tsvangirai has remained silent, raising suspicions that he is quietly encouraging them.

Meanwhile, the MDC-T Bulawayo province yesterday held a press conference where the structure insisted that Mguni was still in charge of the province.

“I think precisely, let’s take it as I have presented, this is the official party position. I have not mentioned anything about Madam Sibanda and her chairing this province. It’s because, whatever and wherever that decision came from, we are not aware, the official party and provincial position is as I have alluded right here,” said provincial spokesperson Mandla Sibanda.

He dismissed those accusing the province of supporting participation in the by elections as elements bent on destabilising the party.

“May we then put it crystal clear, and unequivocally that Bulawayo as a province fully participated in this debate and they wholly own the decision not to participate in the by elections,” he said.

“As a province, we view anyone who insinuates that Bulawayo is pushing for participation in the by-election as a retrogressive force bent on destabilising our otherwise fluid province, and the province does not take to that.”

Asked, if Khupe, who has suffered attacks from members was then acting alone in advocating for participation in the polls, Sibanda said: “Khupe, like I said, was part of the national council that made the decision not to participate in the elections and everyone that was in that meeting wholly owns the decisions not to participate.”