MDC-T deputy president Thokozani Khupe and other party officials last week attended a celebration rally for MDC Nkayi South MP Abednico Bhebhe that was also attended by MPs from Arthur Mutambara’s formation who are facing disciplinary charges.
This has renewed speculation that the MDC legislators have switched allegiances to Morgan Tsvangirai’s camp.
The celebration rally held last week in Nkayi was also attended by MDC-T Bulawayo mayor-designate Seiso Moyo and Luveve MP Reggie Moyo.The MDC leadership last month wrote letters to structures in constituencies where there are suspended MPs warning them to desist from associating in any way with the suspended MPs.MDC MPs who attended the rally in defiance of their party directive are Nomalanga Khumalo, the deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly who is also the MP for Mangwe, Norman Mpofu (Bulillima East) and Njabulo Mguni (Lupane East).MDC party members at the rally took turns to lambast party leader Arthur Mutambara over his leadership.The district chairperson of Nkayi South, Jabulani Ncube, told the gathering that the people of Nkayi had defected to the MDC-T while the Nkayi Rural District Council chairman Kufakwezwe Ncube confirmed media reports that all the 23 MDC councillors from Nkayi South had defected to Tsvangirai.District officials who spoke at the rally said they would stand in solidarity with Bhebhe throughout the whole disciplinary process.Bhebhe is among five legislators and officials from MDC who were suspended from the party last month.The suspended legislators are Tsholotsho South Member of the House of Assembly, Maxwell Dube, Thandeko Mnkandla (Gwanda North), Mpofu (Bulilima East) and Bhebhe.Also suspended were the party’s secretary for defence Job Sikhala, national youth chairperson Gift Nyandoro, and Matabeleland South provincial treasurer Alex Goosen.Meanwhile MDC spokesperson Edwin Mushoriwa has warned councillors from constituencies where MPs have been suspended of instant dismissal from the party if they continue co-operating with the “rebels”.The warning comes after all the 23 councillors from Nkayi South attended Bhebhe’s victory celebration on Saturday in defiance of the party’s directive.Last month, the party’s secretary-general Welshman Ncube wrote to all councillors in the constituencies held by the suspended MPs, directing them to cease cooperation with suspended legislators.Speaking to the Zimbabwe Independent this week, Mushoriwa said the party was still gathering information on who attended the rally. He said the party would take a “very stern” position on those who attended in defiance of the party’s directive.“We have heard rumours of the so-called victory rally on Saturday and we are still to get the finer details,” said Mushoriwa. “If it’s true that some of our councillors attended the event, the party will take a very stern position on them.”
BY LOUGHTY DUBE/HENRY MHARA
