Khupe biggest loser in MDC-T reshuffle

OPPOSITION Movement for Democratic Change president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai could have sounded the death knell for the political career of his long time deputy Ms Thokozani Khupe when he made the shock appointment of Messrs Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as the party's second and third vice presidents last Friday.

The embattled MDC-T leader returned from treatment for colon cancer in South Africa to find his party playing second fiddle to a rag tag movement of activists who rode on a civil servants' strike to call for a stayaway and this appears to have rattled him to the extent that he felt he had to act fast to rescue the fortunes of the moribund party.

While he was temporarily incapacitated, Pastor Evan Mawarire of the so called #This Flag and Promise Mkhwananzi of Tajamuka/Sesijikile group went on a social media misinformation campaign during which they threatened violence against peace loving Zimbabweans and managed to intimidate businesses into closing shop for one day. Zimbabwe is a constitutional democracy where citizens are allowed to freely express themselves but the abuse of social media by Pastor Mawarire and his band of anarchists scaled new heights leading to calls for the regulation of the platforms.

However, despite the massive misinformation campaign and support from Western embassies domiciled in Harare, the call for a so called shut- down of Zimbabwe last Wednesday and Thursday flopped spectacularly as civil servants had been paid their salaries and subsequently called off their strike. It seems Pastor Mawarire and his group overestimated their popularity and influence and were brought crashing down to earth but even then, their sideshow appears to have had an effect on the MDC-T. Mr Tsvangirai appears to have been galvanised into action by the prospect of the emergence of an alternative opposition party and his appointment of Mr Chamisa in particular seems aimed at neutralising the influence of hashtag brigade.

It is telling that the MDC leader addressed the media flanked by his wife and spokesman without any senior party officials in attendance. It is equally bewildering that the party secretary general Mr Douglas Mwonzora, vice president Khupe and even spokesman Mr Obert Gutu were quick to distance themselves from the appointments.

Mr Gutu even posted a cryptic message on his Facebook page on Friday night which read: "How many of you folks have attended a circus? It can actually be extremely amusing if you didn't know". Ms Khupe, who led a poorly attended demonstration of women in Bulawayo on Saturday could only proffer a terse, "Ask Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai", when asked to comment on the apparent dilution of her power and influence in the party following the elevation of Mr Chamisa and Mr Mudzuri.

Perhaps the most revealing analysis came from Mr Tsvangirai's former advisor, Dr Alex Magaisa, a United Kingdom based lawyer. In his take on his former boss' decision, Dr Magaisa reasons that Mr Tsvangirai is preparing to pass on the baton given the toll the cancer is having on his body.

According to Dr Magaisa, Mr Tsvangirai's choice of Mr Chamisa is a sign that the MDC-T leader is preparing to hand over power to a younger energetic person, quipping ominously: "It is possible that this is Tsvangirai taking his last ride into the sunset of leadership, which will spare him the strain, and allow him more years, perhaps occupying a different, lighter role".

Ructions have already started with Ms Khupe obviously unhappy at the decision to crowd her post with people she considers rivals for the presidency. The elevation of Mr Chamisa could have been particularly galling for her because the youthful but charismatic and eloquent Kuwadzana East legislator leads a faction which is bitterly opposed to Ms Khupe taking over from Mr Tsvangirai. While Mr Tsvangirai could have been managing his succession matrix by bringing the main protagonists closer to him, he has effectively strengthened Mr Chamisa's hand and severely weakened the Khupe camp setting the stage for a bruising dogfight for the party presidency.

Tribalism also appears to have influenced the MDC-T leader's appointments with Ms Khupe, a Ndebele, seemingly deemed lacking in the national appeal required to secure an election victory. Her chances of leading the MDC-T are effectively dead in the water and Mr Chamisa is now the odds on favourite to take over from Mr Tsvangirai.

Meanwhile, tensions will continue to simmer with the likes of Mr Mwonzora, who trounced Mr Chamisa at Congress to land the SG post, unlikely to be thrilled that his erstwhile adversary is now his boss. Mr Tsvangirai faces a mammoth task to keep his party together in the wake of his latest appointments. The manner in which he manages the transition and hand over of power will determine the MDC-T's performance in the 2018 general elections.