Khupe's MDC-T faction powerless, adopts wait and see stance

MDC-T deputy president Ms Thokozani Khupe and her faction have reportedly adopted a wait and see approach after party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai's shock appointments of two additional deputies last Friday.

Mr Tsvangirai announced the appointment of Mr Nelson Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri in a move set to erode Ms Khupe's power and influence in the party.

Ms Khupe, who boycotted last Thursday's meeting of the MDC-T national council which okayed the appointments, reportedly hosted members of her faction at her home in Bulawayo at the weekend where the wait and see approach was adopted.

"A braai party was held at MaKhupe's home at the weekend where the appointments were discussed by the faction as they pondered their next move," said an MDC-T source.

"Khupe acknowledged that while the appointments were a serious threat to the faction, there was a need to adopt a wait and see approach than to be seen publicly protesting the appointments."

The main reason behind the wait and see approach, sources said, was the party's recorded history of purging those who dare raise a finger against decisions by the MDC-T leader.

"It was agreed that everyone keeps their heads down so that they don't risk being targeted and expelled from the party. The agreed strategy was to wait and see the specific roles given to Chamisa and Mudzuri before mapping the way forward," said the source.

It also emerged from the weekend meeting that the Khupe-led faction was strongly against the appointment of Mr Chamisa considered more of a threat than Eng Mudzuri.

According to reports, Mr Tsvangirai was yet to give Mr Chamisa and Eng Mudzuri their specific mandates leaving the Khupe faction in suspense on the extent the two new appointments will compromise its leader.

Efforts to get a comment from Ms Khupe were fruitless yesterday.

The party's spokesperson, Mr Obert Gutu, declined to comment on the reports of disgruntlement in the party following the appointments.

Instead, he referred this paper to a statement by Mr Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka, on the matter.

"You will need to look at Tamborinyoka's statement, he explained everything," said Mr Gutu.

Mr Tamborinyoka was yesterday quoted in the private media defending Mr Tsvangirai's appointments saying his boss had considered capability in his choice.

"Some have raised valid issues concerning gender and tribe, but as president Tsvangirai pointed out last week, it was the nature of the job that needed to be done that determined the candidates that were appointed and not any other factor," he was quoted as saying.

Further confirming ructions within the party following the appointment of Mr Chamisa and Eng Mudzuri, Mr Tamborinyoka added: "The appointments of Elias Mudzuri and Nelson Chamisa were okayed by a superior organ of the party.

:Any two or individuals plotting under a tree can never be above the national council of the party, whatever their political station in the party hierarchy."

Ms Khupe and key members of her faction reportedly boycotted last Thursday's meeting of the national council arguing that they had not been notified of it.

She declined to comment on the appointments at the weekend referring all questions to Mr Tsvangirai.