MDC acting president Thokozani Khupe has agreed to hold a
meeting of the party’s 2014 structures to consider the March Supreme Court
ruling directing it to call for an extraordinary congress to choose a substantive
leader.
This comes after 151 out of a possible 200 members who
constituted the MDC 2014 national council structures met at the Morgan Richard
Tsvangirai House in Harare last month and petitioned Khupe to call for a meeting on June 6.
Responding to the call through a letter dated June 2,
reinstated MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora said while Khupe could not
cause the meeting on their proposed date owing to logistical challenges, the
national council was scheduled to meet at a later date.
“It is her considered view that this must be a physical
meeting which must be attended by all members entitled to attend.
“In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, a suitable venue for
this meeting has to be found.
“The acting president also pointed out that we are already
planning meeting of the 2014 national council for later this month anyway.
“In view of the numbers to be involved, it is not practical
given the health regulations to have this meeting on the 6th as proposed.
“We will advise of the date and venue of this meeting after
the national standing committee meeting scheduled to take place on Tuesday next
week,” Mwonzora said.
In the petition, the national council members rejected the
Supreme Court ruling which recognised Khupe as the bona fide acting party
president ahead of Nelson Chamisa who was adjudged to have assumed power
unconstitutionally.
In a communiqué read out by the former deputy
secretary-general of the 2014 structures Paurina Mpariwa, the party accused
Khupe, Mwonzora and Komichi of acting unilaterally without consulting the same
2014 structures.
“We, the leaders of
the former national council of the former MDC, resolved in terms of the
constitution to petition the former national standing committee members,
including Komichi and Mwonzora, to facilitate a national council meeting within
14 days — on June 6 — to respond to the Supreme Court judgment at a venue that
achieves compliance with Covid-19 lockdown regulations,” Mpariwa said.
Kuphe has since expelled Chamisa from the MDC and recalled
four MPs whom she accused of not toeing her party line. Daily News
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