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Dr Thokozani Khupe

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
PANDEMONIUM continues within the MDC-T with the party recalling fired deputy president Dr Thokozani Khupe from Parliament.

Dr Khupe’s faction has immediately hit back saying the expulsion was a non-event because Advocate Nelson Chamisa was not the party’s president, among other reasons.

MDC-T divisions have escalated since the death of the party’s founding president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai in February with Dr Khupe and her allies, national organising secretary Mr Abednego Bhebhe and national spokesperson, Obert Gutu, being expelled from the party last month.

Prior to the trio’s expulsion, Dr Khupe had announced that her camp was disassociating itself from Adv Chamisa’s camp accusing it of being violent and failing to follow the party’s constitution.

Her other loyalists have also been purged from the party.

Yesterday, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda announced in the National Assembly that the MDC-T had recalled Dr Khupe.

“I have received notice from the MDC-T party that Honourable Thokozani Khupe has ceased to be a member of that party therefore she ceases to represent the party in Parliament,” said Mudenda.

“Therefore, a vacancy has arisen for the Bulawayo Metropolitan Proportional representation seat. The House will make the necessary arrangements to inform the President and Zec (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.”

Dr Khupe had served as the leader of the opposition in Parliament in the last 10 years.

In expelling the trio last month, MDC-T revealed that it had set in motion plans to recall Dr Khupe and Mr Bhebhe from Parliament.

MDC-T acting spokesperson, Ms Thabitha Khumalo, yesterday said the party was just following the law in expelling Dr Khupe.

“The constitution is very clear that when an individual ceases to be a member of a political party she stops representing it in Parliament. So Khupe has ceased being an MDC-T member that’s why we have recalled her,” said Ms Khumalo.

However, Dr Khupe’s camp was yesterday defiant saying Parliament had jumped the gun in expelling Dr Khupe as the matter regarding MDC-T name was before the courts.

Mr Gutu said their camp had assigned Professor Lovemore Madhuku to challenge Dr Khupe’s expulsion from Parliament.

“Professor Lovemore Madhuku has been instructed to launch an urgent chamber application seeking an order setting aside Hon Dr Thokozani Khupe’s recall from Parliament. Watch the space,” twitted Mr Gutu.

Contacted to clarify his position, Mr Gutu said: “The issue of who is the real MDC-T is pending in the courts. We’re convinced that Parliament jumped the gun, just wait until papers are filed.”

Dr Khupe’s spokesperson, Mr Witness Dube, described her expulsion from Parliament “as a malicious act of interfering in the internal matters of a political party considering that she had long written to Parliament notifying them of a leadership crisis in the MDC-T.”

He said legal processes have been initiated.- @nqotshili