MDC-T's Khupe, Abednico Bhebhe are 'big headed'

MDC-T Bulawayo provincial organising secretary Albert Mhlanga says the party's deputy president Thokozani Khupe and deputy national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe are "big headed", as the infighting in the opposition party escalates.

The Pumula MP vowed to thwart Khupe and Bhebhe's faction from wresting control of the provincial structures.

Mhlanga said he was in charge of the province and party members aligned to him would fill influential posts.

In recent weeks, MDC-T has been conducting district elections ahead of provincial polls in preparation for the party's national elective congress set for October 31 and November 1 at the City Sports Centre in Harare.

Reports of vote-buying characterised the inter-district elections that would make up the electoral college to vote in polls to choose a new Bulawayo chairperson and the executive.

Mhlanga yesterday said Bhebhe failed in his attempts to destabilise the province.

"Bhebhe came to the province wanting to disrupt it, but he failed," he said.

"I told him that he might be big in the national standing committee, but he is too junior in logistics.

"Same applies to Khupe; she has a big frame and chose to sideline me in Bulawayo. All these people are not popular and were rejected."

According to the MDC-T template, the post of chairperson can only be contested by someone who has been a member of the party for at least five years and also a district position holder for the same number of years.

Asked who was likely to be elected as the next provincial chair, Mhlanga said it would be senator Matson Hlalo.

"We are done with district elections in all areas save for Entumbane and Makokoba, which will be re-done," he said.

"Yesterday (Sunday) elections failed to take off in Bulawayo East. Reports I got indicate that they did not go according to our guidelines.

"However, from the elections, it's clear that Hlalo will lead the province deputised by probably Thabita (Khumalo).

"Jane Nicole Watson aka, Nikki Brown, would be provincial treasurer and I will remain organising secretary deputised by Tsepiso Mpofu.

"As for (Bulawayo deputy mayor Gift) Banda, I have been consistent in saying he is nothing in Bulawayo politically.

"The only favour we can do for him is to talk with the mayor (Martin Moyo) to allocate him land to play football. That's where he belongs." Mhlanga added.

Bhebhe is reportedly a close ally of Khupe and has been pushing for Banda to grab the chairperson's post although he denies these charges.

The chairperson's post has been vacant since Makokoba MP Gorden Moyo quit in June to reportedly join the renewal team although he has not publicly confirmed the move.

Bulawayo Central MP Dorcas Sibanda has been acting chairperson since Moyo initially went on a sabbatical in April before resigning.