MDC-T implodes as Khupe ally faces ouster

MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe's ally, Tamani Moyo, faces possible ouster from the opposition party over her alleged links to top party officials who have openly denounced the MDC Alliance.

Party sources yesterday told Southern Eye that a meeting was held in Luveve, Bulawayo, at the weekend to discuss Moyo's fate following her alleged association with Khupe, MDC-T national chairman, Lovemore Moyo and organising secretary, Abednico Bhebhe.

Moyo doubles as MDC-T ward 15 councillor and Bulawayo provincial women's assembly chairperson.

The quartet is accused of holding parallel meetings, where they allegedly denounced party leader Morgan Tsvangirai for signing the MDC Alliance without the consent of other party organs.

Khupe and her team have since asked Tsvangirai to defer his planned MDC Alliance launch in Bulawayo at the weekend until they have resolved their differences over the party's involvement in the coalition deal.

Chipo Mpambiwa, a member of the MDC-T's Luveve district structures, confirmed yesterday that they had written to the party's provincial organ recommending Moyo's ouster.

"The district met and recommended that Moyo be suspended immediately pending investigations into her conduct. She has been fuelling factionalism and putting the party's name into disrepute," she said.

"She has also been pushing and demanding for the collapse of the coalition agreement, which the district found untoward."

Moyo, when contacted for comment, accused the party's Luveve district structures of being "hooligans" and "drunkards", who will never oust her from her position or even cause her to be recalled from council.

"I cannot be suspended by a district, by people who are drunk. I am not having any sleepless nights. They do not know the party protocol, let alone the constitution.

"I am a member of the (MDC-T) national council and only the council can prefer any charges against me or suspend me," she said, adding "they must provide proof of their said allegations against me."

MDC-T provincial chairperson, Gift Banda backed Moyo, saying: "I am yet to see their letter, but on matters of procedure, they cannot suspend the women's provincial chairperson.

"If they have any charges against her, they need to write a complaint to the province and it (province) will handle the matter."