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Abednico Bhebhe in soup over MDC court case
21 Oct 2020 at 17:16hrs | Views
FISSURES continue to widen in the Thokozani Khupeled MDC as the party bigwigs want to haul organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe before a disciplinary hearing.
This comes after Bhebhe claimed in the High Court last week that party funds totalling $7 million were wiped out by acting party president Khupe and national chair Morgen Komichi.
Bhebhe, however, yesterday remained defiant, saying the move to take disciplinary action against him was unconstitutional.
The party's organising secretary made the accusation in his affidavit filed at the High Court following a court challenge by two disgruntled ctivists, Gilbert Kagodora and Nason Mamuse. In a fight back, the party's national council resolved to bring Bhebhe before the disciplinary committee for allegedly disrespecting party leaders.
"Denounce acts of gross indiscipline, destabilisation and bringing the party into disrepute by Hon A Bhebhe (national organiser) and Paul Gorekore (national council member) amongst others. The party leadership to commence disciplinary actions forthwith against the two in line with the constitution of the party," it said in a statement after its national council meeting on Sunday.
Thokozani Khupe
However, a defiant Bhebhe dismissed the decision saying: "I don't have any case to answer. I am still waiting for the communication, but what they are trying to do is unconstitutional."
In his court papers, Bhebhe accused party leaders of abusing funds.
"MDC-T opened and now operates books of accounts without reference whatsoever to the national executive as is required by the constitution," he said.
"In fact, MDC-T received from the Government of Zimbabwe, under the Political Finances Act, a whopping seven million five hundred thousand Zimbabwean dollars ($7,5 million) which Khupe and Komichi wiped out outside the mandate and framework of 1st Respondent (MDC)'s constitution."
He said Khupe and Komichi were failing to organise proper national executive committee meetings as required by the party's constitution.
"In fact, as late as Thursday the 8th of October 2020, in the course of a sitting of 1st Respondent's national standing committee, a sub-committee of the national executive, I reiterated for the umpteenth time to 2nd (Khupe) and 3rd respondents (Komichi) the need to convene a national executive and/or national council meeting," he said.
"I must acknowledge though a sorry attempt by 2nd respondent to hold a virtual national council meeting, sometime on the 9th of May 2020.
Khupe directed the holding of a national council meeting on the WhatsApp platform."
In their meeting on Sunday, the MDC also decided to block any member who is linked to Nelson Chamisa's faction from attending the proposed extraordinary congress as directed by the Supreme Court, resolving to "denounce and totally reject the calls by G40 fronting erstwhile comrades, from participating in our extraordinary congress on the basis that in 2014, they were part of our structures before joining, supporting and even starting a new party (MDC Alliance).
"Mandate the standing committee to put in motion party systems to ensure orderly nominations of candidates, for the extra-ordinary congress.
"Adopt all recalls and expulsions done so far in respect of all those who joined, supported (through commission or omission) or formed other political parties," the resolution reads.
The opposition party decided to hold its congress during the week of December 13 to 20. The MDC has over 9 000 wards, 210 districts, 12 local provinces and three external, the party's national standing committee, national executive and national council members form the electoral college to the congress.
Recently, the Supreme Court gave Khupe up to November 30 to hold the party's extra-ordinary congress to elect a substantive president. In the event of her failure to do so, the court directed that Komichi should do it by December 30.
This comes after Bhebhe claimed in the High Court last week that party funds totalling $7 million were wiped out by acting party president Khupe and national chair Morgen Komichi.
Bhebhe, however, yesterday remained defiant, saying the move to take disciplinary action against him was unconstitutional.
The party's organising secretary made the accusation in his affidavit filed at the High Court following a court challenge by two disgruntled ctivists, Gilbert Kagodora and Nason Mamuse. In a fight back, the party's national council resolved to bring Bhebhe before the disciplinary committee for allegedly disrespecting party leaders.
"Denounce acts of gross indiscipline, destabilisation and bringing the party into disrepute by Hon A Bhebhe (national organiser) and Paul Gorekore (national council member) amongst others. The party leadership to commence disciplinary actions forthwith against the two in line with the constitution of the party," it said in a statement after its national council meeting on Sunday.
Thokozani Khupe
However, a defiant Bhebhe dismissed the decision saying: "I don't have any case to answer. I am still waiting for the communication, but what they are trying to do is unconstitutional."
In his court papers, Bhebhe accused party leaders of abusing funds.
"MDC-T opened and now operates books of accounts without reference whatsoever to the national executive as is required by the constitution," he said.
"In fact, MDC-T received from the Government of Zimbabwe, under the Political Finances Act, a whopping seven million five hundred thousand Zimbabwean dollars ($7,5 million) which Khupe and Komichi wiped out outside the mandate and framework of 1st Respondent (MDC)'s constitution."
He said Khupe and Komichi were failing to organise proper national executive committee meetings as required by the party's constitution.
"In fact, as late as Thursday the 8th of October 2020, in the course of a sitting of 1st Respondent's national standing committee, a sub-committee of the national executive, I reiterated for the umpteenth time to 2nd (Khupe) and 3rd respondents (Komichi) the need to convene a national executive and/or national council meeting," he said.
"I must acknowledge though a sorry attempt by 2nd respondent to hold a virtual national council meeting, sometime on the 9th of May 2020.
Khupe directed the holding of a national council meeting on the WhatsApp platform."
In their meeting on Sunday, the MDC also decided to block any member who is linked to Nelson Chamisa's faction from attending the proposed extraordinary congress as directed by the Supreme Court, resolving to "denounce and totally reject the calls by G40 fronting erstwhile comrades, from participating in our extraordinary congress on the basis that in 2014, they were part of our structures before joining, supporting and even starting a new party (MDC Alliance).
"Mandate the standing committee to put in motion party systems to ensure orderly nominations of candidates, for the extra-ordinary congress.
"Adopt all recalls and expulsions done so far in respect of all those who joined, supported (through commission or omission) or formed other political parties," the resolution reads.
The opposition party decided to hold its congress during the week of December 13 to 20. The MDC has over 9 000 wards, 210 districts, 12 local provinces and three external, the party's national standing committee, national executive and national council members form the electoral college to the congress.
Recently, the Supreme Court gave Khupe up to November 30 to hold the party's extra-ordinary congress to elect a substantive president. In the event of her failure to do so, the court directed that Komichi should do it by December 30.
Source - dailynews
