Khupe pushes to drown Mwonzora

THERE is no let-up to the mayhem devouring the divided MDC, with the party's interim leader Thokozani Khupe now pushing to have her secretary- general Douglas Mwonzora disciplined, the Daily News reports.

This comes as Khupe and Nelson Chamisa have been involved in a similar and futile hammer and tongs war over control of the country's biggest opposition party - to the glee of Zanu-PF.

At the same time, the MDC Alliance is pulling out all the stops to block Khupe and her allies from filling the positions of party members who were recently recalled from Parliament.

Well-placed sources told the Daily News yesterday that the tension between Khupe and Mwonzora had now reached boiling point, amid moves by Khupe to discipline her secretary-general over multiple allegations which include fomenting violence in the troubled party.

At the weekend, sources had also told the Daily News that the recent recall of Harare mayor Herbert Gomba and five other councillors had escalated the tension between the two party heavyweights.

"The fact that standing committee members only got to know about the recall on social media did not go down well with everyone.

"Khaliphani Phugeni (Khupe's spokesperson) was very angry about this because what should have happened before the letter was written to these people was to bring the names recommended by the party structures to the national standing committee to go through them one by one, while also justifying why they should be recalled.

"That did not happen and this was viewed as disrespect of the standing committee. It is a punishable offence to disrespect the standing committee," one of the sources told the Daily News.

Among other things, Mwonzora is being accused of acting unilaterally when making decisions, as well as fomenting violence in the party.

MDC national chairperson Morgen Komichi told the Daily News last night that there was gross indiscipline in the party, which had also seen violence emerging within its ranks.

"We will indeed take disciplinary measures against rogue elements in the party because we need order. We are a party that believes in constitutionalism and justice.

"We want to be a team, not a group. So, unity is necessary. We do not want to perpetuate factionalism," Komichi said.

At the weekend, the Daily News was told that at the centre of Khupe and Mwonzora's fights was the alleged desire by both to control the recall of MDC legislators and councillors, including the decision on who would replace such members.

Matters apparently came to a head during a recent national standing committee meeting, where Phugeni allegedly confronted Mwonzora - accusing him of not consulting other leaders before recalling party MPs and councillors.

It is claimed that last week's recall of Gomba and five other councillors was viewed as the final straw.

On the other hand, Mwonzora, is said to be very unhappy with Khupe - allegedly for not consulting him when she nominated herself to become MP along with Phugeni and others, to fill the vacancies left by legislators who were recalled for supporting Chamisa.

Apart from nominating herself and Phugeni, Khupe also appointed Yvonne Musarurwa, Lindani Moyo, January Sawuke, Memory Munochinzwa, Lwazi Sibanda, Sipho Mokone, Molly Ndlovu, Tamani Moyo, Gertrude Moyo, Piniel Denga, Chief Ndluvu, Nomalanga Khumalo and Teti Chisorochengwe as MPs.