News / National
Khupe's aide to quit MDC-T
08 Mar 2018 at 05:42hrs | Views
MDC-T deputy president, Thokozani Khupe's aide, Witness Dube, has threatened to quit the opposition party for security reasons after he sustained a deep cut on his forehead during clashes at the party's Bulawayo provincial offices on Sunday.
"The violence meted on me by the few pro-Chamisa MDC-T leadership in the Bulawayo province has left me seriously considering resigning from the party. They have put the party into disrepute by abandoning constitutionalism and democracy in preference of their narrow political interests. I am considering that route, not Khupe. This relationship is not working ," he said yesterday.
Dube was among several MDC-T members from Khupe's camp, who were injured following clashes with activists from a rival faction believed to be linked to party leader, Nelson Chamisa.
Khupe and Chamisa are reportedly fighting over control of the opposition party following the death of its founder, Morgan Tsvangirai, last month.
MDC-T Bulawayo chairperson and deputy mayor, Gift Banda, councillor, Mlandu Ncube, and a number of youths were on Tuesday arrested by police for allegedly instigating the violence. They appeared in court yesterday.
"There is no commitment to guarantee our security. It now looks like our mere presence in the MDC-T is a provocation. They have taken a stance that we are enemies, and a death threat," Dube said.
Khupe was unreachable for comment on Dube's threats to quit, but suspended MDC-T national organiser, Abednico Bhebhe, said he would not leave despite being a victim of the assaults.
"I am not quitting. I believe that dialogue is very essential in any misunderstanding," he said.
MDC-T deputy spokesperson, Tabitha Khumalo was adamant that Khupe's faction was to blame for inviting violence by opposing Chamisa's ascendancy.
"We are sick and tired of that nonsense. We are following the MDC Alliance programmes and anyone who has a problem knows the channels to follow," she said.
The MDC-T has in the past faced violent intra-party episodes with some top officials such as the former Energy minister Elton Mangoma left nursing injuries following in-house clashes.
"The violence meted on me by the few pro-Chamisa MDC-T leadership in the Bulawayo province has left me seriously considering resigning from the party. They have put the party into disrepute by abandoning constitutionalism and democracy in preference of their narrow political interests. I am considering that route, not Khupe. This relationship is not working ," he said yesterday.
Dube was among several MDC-T members from Khupe's camp, who were injured following clashes with activists from a rival faction believed to be linked to party leader, Nelson Chamisa.
Khupe and Chamisa are reportedly fighting over control of the opposition party following the death of its founder, Morgan Tsvangirai, last month.
MDC-T Bulawayo chairperson and deputy mayor, Gift Banda, councillor, Mlandu Ncube, and a number of youths were on Tuesday arrested by police for allegedly instigating the violence. They appeared in court yesterday.
Khupe was unreachable for comment on Dube's threats to quit, but suspended MDC-T national organiser, Abednico Bhebhe, said he would not leave despite being a victim of the assaults.
"I am not quitting. I believe that dialogue is very essential in any misunderstanding," he said.
MDC-T deputy spokesperson, Tabitha Khumalo was adamant that Khupe's faction was to blame for inviting violence by opposing Chamisa's ascendancy.
"We are sick and tired of that nonsense. We are following the MDC Alliance programmes and anyone who has a problem knows the channels to follow," she said.
The MDC-T has in the past faced violent intra-party episodes with some top officials such as the former Energy minister Elton Mangoma left nursing injuries following in-house clashes.
Source - newsday
