Opinion / Columnist
Khupe committed political suicide
23 Apr 2018 at 17:07hrs | Views
Last week was an eventful one. Zimbabwe celebrated its 38th Independence anniversary, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga "fired" over 15 000 striking nurses and the MDC-T faction led by Thokozani Khupe held its inaugural congress in Bulawayo.
The "firing" of striking nurses and Khupe's holding of her convention, which chose her as president unopposed, might have a bearing on the forthcoming polls, but for different reasons.
First of all, it marks the last time Khupe will be elected Member of Parliament as she stands no chance against MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa. Just the beginning of the end for Khupe.
Secondly, she also cannot garner meaningful votes as a presidential candidate as she will be overwhelmed by both Chamisa and President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In short Khupe buried her political her career by holding the ill-fated congress at the weekend.
There will be no more Khupe to write or talk about in mainstream politics after the elections. She committed political suicide.
As Khupe buried her political career, Chiwenga joined the fray by dismissing striking nurses, who have been underpaid for decades.
Debate is still going on who is wrong between the government and nurses. Controversy also continues on the way forward.
But with regards to elections, the Zanu PF's new government, which I now choose to call "new dispossession government" shot itself in the foot.
All the dismissed nurses will not vote for Zanu PF. Nurses are not slaves, even though they in the "essential services" category. They must be given reasonable salaries and allowances.
The simple mathematics of last week's developments can be rounded or summarised as follows: Khupe will subtract Chamisa's presidential vote, but will eventually emerge the ultimate loser with completely no political future.
While all this was happening, Chamisa had a huge boost when thousands of people gathered at Kondo deep in rural Chipinge for his rally on the same day Khupe was addressing a small group of people, some of whom could hardly chant the MDC-T slogan.
The "firing" of striking nurses and Khupe's holding of her convention, which chose her as president unopposed, might have a bearing on the forthcoming polls, but for different reasons.
First of all, it marks the last time Khupe will be elected Member of Parliament as she stands no chance against MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa. Just the beginning of the end for Khupe.
Secondly, she also cannot garner meaningful votes as a presidential candidate as she will be overwhelmed by both Chamisa and President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In short Khupe buried her political her career by holding the ill-fated congress at the weekend.
There will be no more Khupe to write or talk about in mainstream politics after the elections. She committed political suicide.
As Khupe buried her political career, Chiwenga joined the fray by dismissing striking nurses, who have been underpaid for decades.
Debate is still going on who is wrong between the government and nurses. Controversy also continues on the way forward.
But with regards to elections, the Zanu PF's new government, which I now choose to call "new dispossession government" shot itself in the foot.
All the dismissed nurses will not vote for Zanu PF. Nurses are not slaves, even though they in the "essential services" category. They must be given reasonable salaries and allowances.
The simple mathematics of last week's developments can be rounded or summarised as follows: Khupe will subtract Chamisa's presidential vote, but will eventually emerge the ultimate loser with completely no political future.
While all this was happening, Chamisa had a huge boost when thousands of people gathered at Kondo deep in rural Chipinge for his rally on the same day Khupe was addressing a small group of people, some of whom could hardly chant the MDC-T slogan.
Source - newsday
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