Bhebhe frustrated by Khupe 'mindless' recalls

FRUSTRATED MDC organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe has taken aim at acting party leader Thokozani Khupe for allegedly concentrating on strengthening her position by "mindlessly" recalling MPs and councillors at the expense of developing the party".

This comes as Khupe has, since taking over leadership of the MDC after the Supreme Court ruling that stripped Nelson Chamisa of the presidency of the party in March, recalled 21 MPs and several councillors for refusing to follow her.

The ruling saw Khupe and Chamisa engage in a fierce tussle for control of the country's main opposition party since the death of its much-loved founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, in February 2018.

Speaking to the Daily News in an interview yesterday in the aftermath of the latest round of council recalls which claimed the scalp of Harare mayor Herbert Gomba, Bhebhe said the MDC leadership had lost direction.

"I have refused to be part of that circus where the top leadership is obsessed with mindlessly recalling party members without concentrating on rebuilding it.

"All they have done since the court ruling is to recall while no programme to develop the organisation has been considered. The recalls are damaging an already fragile party," Bhebhe said.

The former Nkayi MP said while he would not walk away from the MDC, he will always tell party structures that he detests the ongoing purges.

"I have always made it a point that I speak my mind in the standing committee and other platforms because it makes my job as national organising secretary difficult.

"I have opposed the behaviour that has now permeated to provinces where individuals just come up with names to say so and so must be recalled so that someone is seen as wielding a lot of power hence members are obliged to follow them when we eventually go to congress for fear of being recalled," he said.

Khupe's spokesperson, Khaliphani Phugeni, could not be reached to comment on Bhebhe's claims.