Tsvangirai, Khupe rift dismissed

MDC-T has claimed that there is no rift between its two top leaders between President Morgan Tsvangirai and Vice President Thokozani Khupe and denied reports of  violence  during  Tsvangirai's campaign tour in Matabeleland.

Presidential Spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, in a statement "some of the false reports have been so laughable as to allege that the MDC leader was booed and "humiliated" during his No Elections Without Reforms campaign in Matabeleland over the weekend,".

"For the record, there were no disturbances during President Tsvangirai's campaign tour in Matabeleland, where his mission was to explain the party's Congress resolution to only participate in elections predicated on agreed electoral and political reforms," said Tamborinyoka.

"The MDC leader had successful rallies in Phumula, Mpopoma and Tsholotsho where he explained the unequivocal party position taken by Congress, the supreme decision-making body of the party, not to participate in any election or by-election in the absence of key reforms.

"It is a figment of anyone's imagination to allege a rift between President Tsvangirai and Hon. Khupe" headed.

He alleged that there is a strong and deliberate media campaign to equalize the MDC with Zanu PF, where a rift within the Presidency led to serious ramifications that are still being felt both within the party and in government.

"It is only in Zanu PF where a President and his deputy in the same party can be said to have "rival" supporters and surely, the mischief around that Zanu PF reality should never be exported to the MDC.

"We are the MDC and we are different. For the record, the MDC leader and his deputy have a very good working relationship and none of them is working to undermine the Congress resolution not to participate in elections in the absence of reforms.

"In any case, President Tsvangirai was never "humiliated" during his campaign in Bulawayo and Tsholotsho over the weekend as alleged in mischievous press reports. In fact, he remains emboldened by the support he received from ordinary Zimbabweans who fully appreciate and understand the position taken by the party not to participate in acts of fraud disguised as elections.

"No amount of propaganda will either divide the MDC presidency or sway the party from its avowed and well-considered position to only contest in elections predicated on true reforms that will ensure a credible outcome."