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Nduduzo Tshuma, Political Editor
MDC- Alliance is facing a revolt in Bulawayo with reports that some councillors and legislators want to join acting MDC-T leader Dr Thokozani Khupe.

According to insiders, the councillors and MPs, fearing a recall by Dr Khupe, are advocating for a settlement between Dr Khupe and their leader Mr Nelson Chamisa failure to which they would join the former deputy Prime Minister.

The development has caused ructions within the MDC Alliance resulting in the recent removal of Ward 4 councillor Clr Silas Chigora as Bulawayo East district chairperson.

While the MDC- Alliance has charged Clr Chigora with working against the party and denigrating Chamisa, insiders said his actual crime is “warming up” to the idea of joining Dr Khupe.

Contacted for comment MDC- Alliance Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Mr Swithern Chirowodza said only Chigora has been singing from the MDC-T hymnbook.

“What I can say is, I do not know of any other councillor but what I know is that Bulawayo East district has suspended Ward 4 Councillor Silas Chigora pending a disciplinary hearing. I don’t want to pre-empt the issue but I understand it has to do with working against the party,” he said.

Mr Chirowodza added that Clr Chigora has been, “parroting the semantics and polemics of our opposition,” in reference to MDC-T.

Clr Chigora is accused of denigrating Mr Chamisa accusing the MDC- Alliance of, among other things, lying about the alliance agreement, the status of the Morgan Tsvangirai House in Harare which has since been taken over by Dr Khupe.

Efforts to get a comment from Clr Chigora yesterday were fruitless as his mobile phone rang continuously without being answered.

Sources insisted that many councillors want to cross over.

“Chigora is targeted because of the belief that he is leading clique that wants to join Khupe and the hope is that the move will scare others from the decision.

“There is a WhatsApp chat group of MPs Senators and Councillors where it has been expressed that the whole fiasco between Khupe and Chamisa could have been avoided had there been dialogue,” said an insider.

“Some councillors and MPs are therefore calling for dialogue and if that fails then they will cross over to Khupe because they don’t want to lose their seats. The feeling is that Khupe has shown beyond doubt that those who don’t fall in line will be ejected from seats and most don’t want to fall by the way side.”

Dr Khupe has, in three phases, recalled 21 Members of Parliament for working against the MDC-T.

In the last round Dr Khupe recalled from Senate, the following: Keresencia Chabuka (Manicaland province), Spiwe Ncube (Bulawayo), Phyllis Ndlovu (Matabeleland North), Meliwe Phuti (Matabeleland South), Gideon Shoko (Bulawayo), Bhebhe Sinamupande (Matabeleland North), Tapfumaneyi Vunganayi (Mashonaland East) and Hellen Zivira (Bulawayo).