Violence tears MDC-T apart
MDC-T has effectively split following political violence that rocked its Bulawayo province during a meeting attended by a rival faction led by Dr Thokozani Khupe yesterday, resulting in some party supporters being seriously injured.
When asked if yesterday’s events pointed to a split, Dr Khupe, who insisted she was the MDC-T president following the death of Mr Morgan Tsvangirai two weeks ago by virtue of being the only elected party deputy president, said: “What do you think? You can judge for yourself.
“We have never seen such kind of violence involving party supporters before. How do you attack people who are just gathered to organise themselves? If you are popular, why are you not going to campaign to the people and get those votes?
“Why do you have to beat up people, why do you have to injure people? Why do you have to vandalise offices and cars?”
Her questions seemed to be directed to Mr Nelson Chamisa, who has controversially assumed leadership of the party.
Mr Chamisa, who was appointed co-vice president by Mr Tsvangirai and anointed by his cabal within the party last week as the president and presidential candidate in the harmonised elections this year, has been fighting a bitter battle with Dr Khupe to succeed Mr Tsvangirai.
On the other hand, another co-vice president Engineer Elias Mudzuri, who was also appointed by Mr Tsvangirai to the position, has been claiming leadership of the party, saying the late party leader told him to take over while he was on his
death bed.
The violence in Bulawayo yesterday erupted during Dr Khupe, national organising secretary Abednego Bhebhe and national spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu’s consultative meeting with party’s structures in the province.
While the three senior MDC-T officials were consulting party structures, MDC Alliance led by Mr Chamisa was holding a rally in Chinhoyi.
Yesterday’s incident followed skirmishes that occurred during the burial of Mr Tsvangirai in Buhera two weeks ago.
In Buhera, Dr Khupe alleged that “mercenaries” sent by Mr Chamisa wanted to kill her for being a stumbling block in his ascendancy.
Yesterday’s violence lasted about two hours as rival factions engaged in running battles.
Fort Street between Second and Third Avenue where the MDC-T offices are, was literally turned into a war zone as party supporters fought pitched battles.
The supporters were using stones and logs to fight each other and Dr Khupe’s personal assistant, Mr Witness Dube, was among those injured in the fracas.
Windows to Dr Khupe’s Land Rover Discovery were smashed and property at the party’s offices destroyed.
Anti-riot police had to be called in and the situation only returned to normal after they dispersed the crowd, which had gathered at the offices.
Dr Khupe bemoaned the acts of violence, saying those who were behind the havoc were cowards afraid to compete freely.
“I’m short of words, I’ve never seen such violent acts,” she said.
“This is what we have always been talking about that the MDC was formed on the foundation of a constitution and on the foundation of non-violence.”
Dr Khupe said people, who attacked them yesterday were part of those who attacked her in Buhera.
“Remember, we were assaulted in Buhera, these are the same people who are behind this violence,” she said. “We were assaulted in this same office last year in August, now they have followed us again.”
Dr Khupe scoffed at the seven-day ultimatum given to her to return to the party or risk disciplinary action.
“That is what I call absolute nonsense, I am an elected acting president of the MDC and no one gives me an ultimatum except congress,” she said.
“Congress is the only body that can give that ultimatum not any other person.”
Mr Gutu, who recently hinted on quitting MDC-T, made a U-turn yesterday, saying he was still the party’s national spokesperson.
He condemned the violence as barbaric.
“A bunch of thugs armed with stones, knives, logs, iron bars, came from nowhere and started attacking people,” he said. “I saw two or three people badly injured. There were people, who were throwing stones on the roof, breaking windowpanes.
“There is blood on the floor, it’s total mayhem. If these are the people, who think that they can take Zimbabwe to the next level, my foot!”
Mr Gutu said he had not been suspended as he had not received official communication to that effect.
“I have not been suspended,” he said. “I’m still here as Obert Gutu, the official spokesperson for the MDC. A bogus national council meeting has no powers to suspend me, I haven’t been suspended, I haven’t received a letter of suspension and no one has the capacity to write me a letter of suspension.”
Mr Gutu said MDC-T should investigate the root cause of the violence and also identify its funders.