MDC-T leader, Dr Thokozani Khupe has hinted at the possibility of joining forces with the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party lamenting that the continued fragmentation of the opposition only served to boost Zanu PF.
For the past month, Khupe said she had been interacting with ordinary people, party structures and opinion leaders on the crisis facing Zimbabweans and what they thought was the way forward.
Her sentiments also come after political leaders in Matabeleland have made several moves behind the scenes to join forces ahead of the 2023 elections although no concrete announcement has been made.
Khupe and Chamisa have had a fractious relationship that eventually broke down after the death of MDC founding president Morgan Tsvangirai in 2018 as they fought over the control of the opposition party.
Addressing a press conference at the Bulawayo Media Centre this Wednesday, the MDC-T leader said her party has “graduated from a dark past of needless fragmentation,” hence the decision not to participate in the upcoming by-elections to avoid further fragmenting the opposition vote.
But Khupe said, “at an opportune time, we will announce whom we are urging our members and supporters to vote for.”
“This is the signal that will direct our troops, members, supporters and the general electorate towards an overwhelming victory on March 26,” she said.
Sources told CITE that Khupe is most likely to make an appearance at the CCC rally this Saturday to be held at White City Stadium, where she will feature alongside the party’s leadership.
Khupe noted that a closer look at the 2018 harmonised election results in Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North demonstrated the negative effects of opposition fragmentation.
“The needless fragmentation of the opposition has not only deflated hopes and punctured national confidence but it has also slowly led to people staying away from national processes and losing faith in elections. It is in this spirit that I’m urging the nation to rally together and to encourage each other to be active participants in national processes especially in the ongoing voter registration blitz,” she said.
The MDC-T leader declared the party was going to be working with like-minded opposition political parties since the situation in Zimbabwe pointed to a need for unity of purpose.
“Unity amongst opposition political parties is of paramount importance, as it will result in the formation of a formidable force to confront Zanu PF. The formidable force must start to speak with one voice, they must start to act with one voice and they must start to vote with one voice. It is high time as opposition parties we converge and mobilise citizens and together unite for a common course and that common course being a New Zimbabwe,” Khupe remarked, using code words often by the CCC.
“We need to unapologetically preach the gospel of unity, in bars, in churches, in the villages and in the urban areas where we stay. Let us remind each other that future generations will not forgive us if we allow next year’s chance to slip away. It is a glorious chance that comes to us ordinary people once every five years and we must make the most of it.”
The MDC-T leader who broke ranks with Douglas Mwonzora said this was the time for political parties’ students, women’s movements, vendors, war veterans, the church, labour, transport operators and touts, the civic movement and other social networks to come together and challenge the Zanu PF regime.
“We are stronger together and together we can deliver real change to the people of Zimbabwe and “Yes We Can.” As the MDC-T, we are today sending a message to the world that together we are stronger. Indeed, together we can. And together, we will go far,” Khupe said.
“I would like to conclude by emphasizing that the hour has come for us to walk together every step of the way in our quest to deliver real change so that every Zimbabwean lives in a Zimbabwe where there is equal distribution of resources and opportunities in the spirit of devolution. The hour has come for citizens to converge and vote for change. Together we can make a difference. I rest my case.”
