Bhebhe dismisses claims of rejoining Mwonzora's MDC

EXPELLED MDC-T national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe has rebuffed to claims by the opposition party's that he had been reinstated into the structures after begging for readmission.

MDC-T last week claimed it had readmitted Bhebhe, a former Nkayi and the ex-deputy Bulawayo province chairperson, Dorcas Sibanda.

The announcement was made after the opposition's virtual National Council meeting held over the weekend.

"Notably, former national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe and former deputy chairperson of Bulawayo province, Dorcas Sibanda were duly readmitted into the party as per their expression of interest," claimed the party's national spokesperson Witness Dube in statement released soon after the meeting.

However, in a statement released to New Zimbabwe.com this week, Bhebhe described the Douglas Mwonzora led MDC-T leadership as illegal outfit.

He argued that following his suspension and subsequent expulsion from the party last year, he approached the High Court to challenge both the suspension and expulsion.

"I challenged my suspension and subsequent expulsion which paved the way for other contestants to hold the Extra Ordinary Congress (EOC) without my participation. That deprived me of my administrative and constitutional rights while it gave unfair advantage to Mr Douglas Mwonzora to contest for the highest party office having eliminated the participation of the main challenger whose victory was beyond doubt," said Bhebhe.

Mwonzora went on to win the controversial EOC after beating then interim president Thokozani Khupe, Elias Mudzuri and Morgen Komichi.

"My constitutional rights were put under siege by the very national council and I immediately lost the opportunity to contest for the presidency. What has changed now that I would renege on my pursuit of justice and submit to a rigged leadership?" queried Bhebhe.

The veteran opposition politician said he does not recognise the outcome of the December EOC.

"In view of the aforementioned points, I want to make it categorically clear that I do not recognise the outcome of the 27th December 2020 EOC and hence the so-called national council has no legal mandate to readmit me to what I do not even recognise.

"As far as I am concerned, the EOC elections were not conducted and hence the amendment of the Constitution illegitimate," Bhebhe added challenging the party to elect an interim leadership pending the holding of free and fair elections.

"My position is that the party must sit down and elect an interim leader pending a proper EOC where every willing member is given a chance to vote or contest for the presidency," he said.

Bhebhe was suspended from his position on 29 October last year.  On November 4, he wrote to the party's then acting President Khupe asking for the uplifting of the suspension citing some irregularities.

He was, however, readmitted but only as an ordinary party card carrying member. Bhebhe then contested for the Bulawayo Extra Ordinary Congress provincial nomination before he was eventually expelled from the party over allegations of "grossly violating the Constitution of the party by supporting another political party other than the MDC-T."

Bhebhe challenged his expulsion and the case is still pending at the High Court.