MDC-T deputy president Ms Thokozani Khupe has said she will boycott the MDC Alliance launch to be held at White City Stadium today accusing the MDC-T leadership of being violent and dictatorial.
In a statement yesterday, Ms Khupe’s personal assistant Mr Witness Dube said her boss together with national chairman Mr Lovemore Moyo and the suspended national organising secretary Mr Abednico Bhebhe will not be attending today’s MDC Alliance launch, accusing the Morgan Tsvangirai led party of threatening members who are against the coalition with unspecified action.
The trio are against an alliance with other political parties in Matabeleland as they claim that their party can go it alone in the region.
“Deputy President of MDC-T, Madam Thokozani Khupe, will not be attending the Bulawayo MDC Alliance Rally for the same reasons that she did not attend the last MDC-T National Executive Committee Meeting.
“The national chairman as well as the national organising secretary will also not be attending this rally on the same grounds,” said Mr Dube.
He said Ms Khupe and her lieutenants were worried that the party’s leadership was more concerned about forming the alliance without solving pressing issues in MDC-T.
Mr Dube said violent political victimisation was being brewed at the MDC-T headquarters in Harare.
He said Ms Khupe was not against Mr Tsvangirai, describing her as a principled leader whose argument is purely a fundamental policy and strategy matter.
Mr Dube said the MDC-T structures in Matabeleland were being threatened for standing in Ms Khupe’s corner.
“It is therefore being noted with concern that some have resorted to “Command Organising” for the MDC Alliance rally by threatening MPs, Ward Councillors and Ward chairpersons with unspecified action should they fail to fill up White City Stadium tomorrow,” said Mr Dube.
MDC-T sources claimed that Ms Khupe has urged the party’s supporters to boycott the launch.
The MDC-T insiders said Ms Khupe and her colleagues were dicing with their political careers because if a capacity crowd goes to White City Stadium, they could be discarded by the party.
The party sources said Mr Tsvangirai does not trust Ms Khupe and to weaken her powers, he last year imposed two deputy presidents, Mr Nelson Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri.