Former Deputy Prime minister and MDC-T vice president Thokozani Khupe says she was no longer interested in contesting for any position when Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) holds its congress.
This comes after Khupe last week officially joined CCC ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections amid fierce resistance from some quarters in the newly-formed party whose entire leadership is on an interim basis pending an elective congress.
Speaking through her spokesperson Ntando Ndlovu, Khupe told the Daily News yesterday that she was content with being just a card-carrying member of the CCC.
“Khupe’s current pre-occupation, like every party member, is for CCC to capture State power and form the next government next year so that all Zimbabweans can get a better life, a decent living and salaries, proper healthcare, quality education and decent employment,” Ndlovu said.
“She is not in this new movement for a position. She will, however, play her part like every ordinary citizen in organising and mobilising around the programme of change. Khupe, therefore, refuses to be diverted by rumour mongers and gatekeepers who are hell bent on projecting her as a power hungry politician.”
He said Khupe, together with her former supporters, were now officially CCC members after her unveiling last weekend before the new party’s interim leader Nelson Chamisa with whom she had been at war over the control of the MDC since the death of its founding president Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2018.
Chamisa was last weekend forced to intervene after angry party youth bayed for her blood, barring her from attending a provincial assembly meeting held at McDonald Hall in Mzilikazi suburb in Bulawayo, accusing her of being a Zanu PF surrogate.
Khupe, who showed up at the event upon Chamisa’s arrival, was greeted with obscene shouts from the youths who vowed not to let her be part of the meeting.
“Khupe you are not welcome here. All along you were dining and wining with (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa, busy plotting the destruction of our party.
“You even recalled our members from Parliament, who are some of the leaders you want to meet today. Are you not ashamed of what you did?” shouted one of the people who attacked the former deputy prime minister.
On her way into the venue, escorted by her aides, the CCC youth physically pushed her away while blocking her way in an incident that lasted for about 10 minutes.
Sensing danger, Khupe retreated into her vehicle before Chamisa and some party leaders came to her rescue.
Miffed by the violent behaviour of his party activists, Chamisa was forced to call them to order, describing the new movement as non-violent.
“I am not a leader of a violent community and I will never accept violence. This is why I left MDC to form a peaceful organisation with God fearing supporters,” he pleaded.
“I do not want this to resemble Mnangagwa’s organisation or even that of Mugabe. I am not happy with those youth who are blocking Khupe. I did not invite her, but she has the right as a citizen to be in this meeting,” Chamisa told the gathering.
— DailyNews
