Expelled MDC-T National Organising Secretary, Abednico Bhebhe, has suggested that the re-calling of MDC Alliance representatives by the Thokozani Khupe-led movement is a Zanu PF strategy to destroy the opposition ahead of the 2023 elections.
The MDC-T has been recalling MDC Alliance legislators and councillors after a Supreme Court ruling in April that declared appointments of Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as vice presidents of MDC-T by the late Morgan Tsvangirai as unconstitutional and invalid.
This Tuesday, MDC-T expelled MDC-Alliance Chinhoyi Mayor, Dyke Makumbi with four other councillors and three Chegutu councillors claiming they no longer represented the interests of the party.
Four more councillors were also expelled in Masvingo.
“What Khupe and her crew are doing is a complete decimation of the MDC in line with Zanu PF’s 2023 election strategy. Expelling people’s representatives in the cover of the supreme Court judgment is nothing but a Zanu PF campaign strategy implemented by the MDC-T’s leadership. By so doing, they have just condemned themselves to political oblivion come 2023,” Bhebhe said in an interview.
Bhebhe was also recently expelled from the MDC-T for allegedly supporting another party in November after the party’s presidential nomination in Bulawayo.
The former national organising secretary, however, believes he was fired for his growing popularity where it was reported he received an overwhelming 170 votes while Khupe received 35.
However, the Independent Election Management Body that handled that nomination process said Khupe received 59 votes while Bhebhe pulled 45 votes.
Bhebhe maintains he was expelled for his stance on principles and is challenging his expulsion in the courts where he has filed an urgent interdict at the Bulawayo High Court to stop the party from conducting presidential nominations ahead of the Extraordinary Congress this month.
“I am currently tormented for infusing MDC-T with pride and dignity, and reminding it’s leadership about pride and dignity of the people’s project. I have constantly reminded the MDC-T leadership of complicity on the crime of allowing themselves to be used by the regime and therefore letting evil reign supreme in the only hope for Zimbabwe,” said the former Nkayi legislator.
The MDC-T has so far expelled more than 160 MDC Alliance councillors and more than 30 Member of Parliament whose positions have not been filled, as the government moved to ban all pending by–elections citing the Covid-19 outbreak as an excuse.
Observers and critics since the recalls started in April have described them as a blatant violation of Zimbabwe`s constitution as it robs the citizens the right to vote for a candidate of their choice.
They have said the recalls should not be only viewed as an MDC Alliance problem as the right to vote was the most fundamental right for citizens and if that was not defended, other civil liberties would not be protected.
