News / National
Khupe faction rebrands to MDC Alliance
20 Sep 2020 at 08:26hrs | Views
THE MDC leadership wrangle Saturday took a turn for the ridiculous when the MDC-T faction led by Thokozani Khupe declared it will now use the MDC Alliance.
The announcement immediately drew protests from the Nelson Chamisa led MDC which has been using the name.
Speaking at MDC-T 21st anniversary at the party Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (formerly Harvest House) headquarters in Harare Saturday, party national chair Morgen Komichi argued they were the legitimate owners of the name.
"MDC Alliance president is Madam Thokozani Khupe. The MDC Alliance agreement is very clear because the late Tsvangirai is automatically replaced with the former.
"We are going to by-elections with vigour and we will defeat all opponents. All the recalled legislators and councillors were on the MDC Alliance ticket, so we are going to field other members to contest in those positions," he said.
The MDC senator said going forward, he will not be comfortable to hear any political outfit using the name MDC Alliance on any other person who is not part of the faction doing so.
He declared such conduct was tantamount to selling out.
The opposition top politician sensationally claimed to have been led by founding party president Tsvangirai when they regrouped as MDC-T and assured the handful of followers attending the celebrations that they will also receive likely spiritual visitations.
He also described their erstwhile ally, Chamisa as a popular dictator who risked ending up operating like the world's worst dictators.
The tussle for the name MDC Alliance would likely bring fresh confusion during voting in by-elections due in December.
Nomination of candidates is due for October 9, 2020.
Meanwhile, the Chamisa led party has dismissed the party's name hijacking restating that it is the genuine MDC Alliance party.
"We contested the 2018 elections as the MDC Alliance. As the alternative, it has MPs in parliament and councillors in local authorities.
"It has been victimised as the MDC Alliance. It will remain the MDC Alliance," said the party in statement.
The announcement immediately drew protests from the Nelson Chamisa led MDC which has been using the name.
Speaking at MDC-T 21st anniversary at the party Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (formerly Harvest House) headquarters in Harare Saturday, party national chair Morgen Komichi argued they were the legitimate owners of the name.
"MDC Alliance president is Madam Thokozani Khupe. The MDC Alliance agreement is very clear because the late Tsvangirai is automatically replaced with the former.
"We are going to by-elections with vigour and we will defeat all opponents. All the recalled legislators and councillors were on the MDC Alliance ticket, so we are going to field other members to contest in those positions," he said.
The MDC senator said going forward, he will not be comfortable to hear any political outfit using the name MDC Alliance on any other person who is not part of the faction doing so.
He declared such conduct was tantamount to selling out.
The opposition top politician sensationally claimed to have been led by founding party president Tsvangirai when they regrouped as MDC-T and assured the handful of followers attending the celebrations that they will also receive likely spiritual visitations.
He also described their erstwhile ally, Chamisa as a popular dictator who risked ending up operating like the world's worst dictators.
The tussle for the name MDC Alliance would likely bring fresh confusion during voting in by-elections due in December.
Nomination of candidates is due for October 9, 2020.
Meanwhile, the Chamisa led party has dismissed the party's name hijacking restating that it is the genuine MDC Alliance party.
"We contested the 2018 elections as the MDC Alliance. As the alternative, it has MPs in parliament and councillors in local authorities.
"It has been victimised as the MDC Alliance. It will remain the MDC Alliance," said the party in statement.
Source - newzimbabwe
