MDC-T leader, Dr Thokozani Khupe, yesterday condemned the
rowdy behaviour of MDC Alliance supporters after they jeered her during the
burial procession of the late Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java who was buried in Harare
yesterday.
This was after the director of ceremonies acknowledged the
presence of Dr Khupe at Glen Forest Memorial Park where the body of Mrs
Tsvangirai-Java was being laid to rest.
The acknowledgement did not go well with MDC supporters
with some calling for Dr Khupe to leave the place. The incident was a strong
reminder of the violent incident last year where thugs attacked Dr Khupe and
others at the burial of MDC founding president, Morgan Tsvangirai, at Humanikwa
Village in Buhera, threatening to burn her alive in a hut.
The violent goons are believed to be fanatics of current
party leader, Mr Nelson Chamisa.
Speaking on the sidelines of the burial ceremony, Dr Khupe
condemned the behaviour and called on MDC-A supporters to stop politicising
funerals.
“As you can see today is a sad moment for all of us where
we have come to mourn the passing on of Honourable Vimbai and also to celebrate
her life. She was our founding president’s daughter and we had lived with her
all our lives.
“But when people come to mourn, they must mourn. This
culture of coming to funerals to hijack and turn them into political rallies
must come to an end, and I mean this culture must come to a stop. It is
unacceptable, it is uncultured, it is not Zimbabwean and I have never seen
that,” she said.
“We have opportunities to go out there and do rallies, but
to do that here is unacceptable, I have never seen such. Even the one who has
departed, I don’t think she is happy, if they can indeed see I don’t think they
are happy with what they see here today. When people come to funerals, they
must do exactly what they have gone there for, I hope and trust that these
people will learn and change their behaviour especially when we come to
funerals, people should also respect the dead”.
Dr Khupe also spoke about the ongoing national political
dialogue where she said the initiative is good for the people of Zimbabwe.
“When we are in dialogue, we are doing it for Zimbabweans,
we are saying we want things to change but we cannot change things by going out
there throwing stones, by burning tyres, by destroying people’s shops but we
only resolve issues by discussing issues and this is what some of us are doing.
Herald
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