Hwende, Khumalo fingered in MDCT violence against Khupe

The Movement for Democracy formation led by Morgan Tsvangirai has suspended two senior officials following a fracas in Bulawayo, which left party vice president Thokozani Khupe nursing some injuries.

In a statement, the party said, “President Morgan Tsvangirai has suspended five people, including two members of the Standing Committee, following his promise to decisively deal with the disturbances in Bulawayo over the weekend in which Vice President Thokozani Khupe and other senior party officials were injured.

“The President has suspended the party’s Deputy Treasurer-General Mr. Charlton Hwende and Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity, Hon. Thabitha Khumalo, pending full investigations, for suspected crimes of omission and commission before and during the disturbances. He has also suspended three members of the Youth Assembly over the same matter.”

The MDC further noted that Tsvangirai has already dispatched a probe team to Bulawayo and a full comprehensive investigation will determine any further action to be taken.

“Violence is not part of the culture of the party and President Tsvangirai, a victim of violence himself countless times since the party was formed, has moved in to take decisive action over the matter.”

Some MDC-T youth attacked Khupe on Sunday while she was attending a party meeting with other senior members of the party.

The youth allege that Khupe wants to block an MDC Alliance designed to unseat Zanu PF in the 2018 general elections. voa