Chamisa vs Khupe: The End Game

A DRAMATIC end game on the battle for the control of the MDC-T is unfolding following the expulsion of Dr Thokozani Khupe from the party last week and her determination to fight to the bitter end.

Dr Khupe was expelled along with party national organising secretary Mr Abednigo Bhebhe and spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu for unconstitutional behaviour, holding illegal meetings and bringing the party's name into disrepute."

This came after a protracted succession battle that initially pitted Dr Khupe, MDC-T leader Mr Nelson Chamisa and party deputy president Engineer Elias Mudzuri who later chickened out when the race to succeed the late founding president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai heated up.

After Dr Khupe's expulsion at the party's national council in Harare last Friday, it emerged that Dr Khupe had officially notified the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) that she will represent MDC- T in the 2018 Presidential elections.

Dr Khupe had, before her expulsion, told a rally in Bulawayo that her grouping, which she said is the legitimate MDC-T, was leaving the Mr Chamisa led formation as it had deviated from the party's "founding values."

Referring to herself as MDC-T acting president, she said the party would also participate in local government and parliamentary polls.

The developments, confirmed by Zec acting chief elections officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana, renewed her fight with Mr Chamisa that had seemed to have ended after her expulsion with the likelihood of the battle spilling into the courts.

Bulawayo lawyer, Mr Matshobane Ncube said the issue of the use of the party name in the elections could be decided in the courts.

"At the end of the day, it is a matter that has to be solved by the courts. The courts will decide which MDC-T is authentic," he said.

Mr Ncube however, said Mr Chamisa appeared political savvy by quickly moving to get the endorsement of the relevant party organs to take over from Mr Tsvangirai.

"What Khupe should have done was challenge his appointment. In so far as we know, we are not aware of any process by any organ of the party that appointed Khupe to be acting party president," he said.

Besides the court issues, the Khupe versus Chamisa endgame could be decided politically as happened during the party's split in 2005 as it was divided on whether or not to participate in the Senatorial elections.

It must be noted at this instance, that the break away by the Dr Khupe grouping from the Mr Chamisa led one is not very different from the Prof Ncube (Welshman) group in 2005 with violence being the preferred form of interaction.

However, the only difference is that while Prof Ncube left with a significant number of officials to form structures nationally, Dr Khupe's grouping has only managed to establish structures in Bulawayo.

The Prof Ncube led group retained the MDC name but changed colours from red to green while the Tsvangirai led formation kept the red colours and added the -T- suffix to the name of the party.

Interestingly this time, in the absence of Tsvangirai who died in February, it remains to be seen if there will be a new addition in the MDC splinter groupings, possibly an MDC-C for Chamisa.

Just like Mr Ncube said, Dr Khupe still faces issues of legitimacy in her claim to the MDC-T throne as she was not elevated by any relevant organ of the party to the position she claims.

The recent allocation of $1,8 million under the Political Parties Finance Act to the Mr Chamisa grouping and the ejection of the Dr Khupe grouping from the Bulawayo province by the courts have also dealt a huge blow to her grouping.

The only notable backers to her cause include Mr Gutu, Mr Bhebhe and Mr Dube while her former allies like Bulawayo provincial chairperson Mr Gift Banda long turned against her and joined Mr Chamisa.

Former MDC-T chairperson Mr Lovemore Moyo, a Dr Khupe sympathiser, opted to resign from the party with speculation that he wants to form a new political party.

With Mr Chamisa enjoying bigger numbers in terms of support with his control of party structures nationwide and abroad, indications are that his grouping is most likely to live longer than the Dr Khupe outfit.

The $1,8 million allocated to Mr Chamisa's grouping has not only caused ructions within the party in as far as how it should be distributed but that it is not enough for the party that has since its formation relied on foreign funding that has since dried up.

It was reported recently that Mr Chamisa faces a revolt within his grouping over alleged demands that sitting Parliamentarians interested in contesting the seats they are holding should pay $1 000 non-refundable application fee in what is a clear desperate fundraising exercise.

Political analyst Mr Richard Mahomva said whoever emerges victor in the MDC-T battle comes with little consequence as the party is now a dead brand.

He said the situation in the MDC-T is reflective of contradictions in the party that has always postured as an epitome of democracy.

"The MDC-T has been grounded on superficial values that are not enduring. What we are seeing is an inherited ideological crisis from the days of Mr Morgan Tsvangirai but a reliance of emerging and convenient issues like gender, tribe, age and other things," said Mr Mahomva.

"No proper precedent template can be followed and this almost makes MDC-T a dead brand."