Embattled MDC-T vice president Thokozani Khupe on Friday announced that her boss Douglas Mwonzora broke away from the party after he indicated that his outfit was going to campaign in the upcoming by-elections under the name MDC Alliance used by Nelson Chamisa.
Addressing her supporters in Bulawayo, Khupe announced that Mwonzora escaped from the opposition party and formed a splinter group.
She also accused the party leader of violating the organisation’s constitution by appointing a second vice president. Khupe said the 2020 extraordinary congress that installed Mwonzora as president was “bogus” and “illegitimate” because it did not form a quorum.
“Mwonzora has on times without numbers violated the constitution of the party during his tenure as the President of the Party. Mwonzora is an illegitimate President who is a product of a rigged extraordinary congress which did not form a quorum,” Khupe said before hundreds of party faithful.
“Mwonzora is an illegitimate leader and president, who has no power to run the affairs. He violated the constitution by also appointing a second president which is not provided for.
“The Mwonzora cabal has gone on to disband legitimate structures, a case in point, the Bulawayo provincial executive and replaced it with a bogus structure whereas Article 6,9, 7 is very clear on what should have happened to the 2014 Bulawayo provincial executive.
“This reckless behavior calls into question the composition of the National Council because legitimate 2014 national council members have been replaced by fake council members. This scenario applies in every other province.
“Douglas Togarasei Mwonzora benefitted from a violent extraordinary congress which was rigged and did not form a quorum.”
Khupe also said Mwonzora’s decision to grab Chamisa’s name, effectively meant he expelled himself from the MDC-T.
“Mwonzora has already notified ZEC that he will contest the upcoming by-elections under the MDC Alliance party. In so doing, Mwonzora has fired himself because in terms of the MDC-T constitution Article 5: 10a ‘membership of the party shall be terminated if a member joins or supports a political party other than the MDC-T. Termination of membership in these circumstances is automatic,” Khupe said.
On the MDC-T split, Khupe said: “This day, the 21st January, the Year of Our Lord 2022, I announce that the MDC-T has split, and there are now two MDC-T formations, one led by yours truly, Dr. Thokozani Khupe.”
This comes after Mwonzora’s faction, on Thursday, released a statement announcing the suspension of Khupe.
