MDC leader
Thokozani Khupe scored another victory in the ongoing battle for the party
after Parliament allowed her to choose a new National Assembly chief whip ahead
of bitter rival Nelson Chamisa, the Daily News reports.
This comes as
Khupe and Chamisa have opened a new battlefront in their incessant fights
following their appointment of different chief whips in Parliament a fortnight
ago.
The senseless
fights erupted after the death of the MDC’s much-loved founding leader, Morgan
Tsvangirai, in February 2018.
The Supreme
Court’s March judgment which upheld last year’s ruling by the High Court
nullifying Chamisa’s ascendancy to the leadership of the party added fuel to the
fire.
However, buoyed
by a series of court victories, including the recent High Court ruling that
pronounced her as the legitimate occupant of the MDC’s highly symbolic Morgan
Richard Tsvangirai House headquarters, Khupe took her battle to Parliament where
she has so far recalled 21 legislators.
On Wednesday,
deputy National Assembly Speaker Tsitsi Gezi announced that Khupe had notified
Parliament that Paurina Mpariwa was the new opposition chief whip, replacing
Prosper Mutseyami.
“I have to
announce to the House that I have received notification from the MDC-T party
that … Paurina Mpariwa has been appointed as the new chief whip to replace
honourable Prosper Mutseyami who was recalled,” Gezi said.
The elevation
of Mpariwa came despite Chamisa having also notified Parliament that he had
appointed Highfield East MP, Eric Murai as Mutseyami’s replacement.
This was after
MDC Alliance secretary-general Chalton Hwende formerly wrote to National
Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda a fortnight ago to inform him of new
appointments the party had made.
“Please be
advised that our party, the MDC Alliance has appointed the following members as
the party leadership in Parliament … Lynette Karenyi-Kore (acting leader of
opposition in Parliament), Hon Eric Murai (Acting Chief Whip; Lower House), Hon
Jasmine Toffa (Acting Deputy Chief Whip: Lower House),” Hwende said.
Before the
recalls by Khupe, Mutseyami was deputised by Nomathemba Ndlovu (proportional
representation).
In the Senate, the chief whip was Lilian
Timveos (Midlands) with Herbert Sinampande (Matabeleland North) as her deputy.
Both of them
have been recalled after MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora wrote to the
august House indicating that they had ceased representing the party’s interests
pursuant to Section 129 (k) of the Constitution.
Recently, Khupe
recalled eight more senators — Meliwe Phuthi (Matabeleland South) Helen Zivira
(Bulawayo), Siphiwe Ncube (Bulawayo), Phyllis Ndlovu (Matabeleland North),
Keresencia Chabuka (Manicaland), Herbert Sinamupande (Matabeleland North)
Gideon Shoko (Bulawayo) and Tapfumaneyi Wunganayi (Mashonaland East).
This had been
preceded by the recall of nine members of the National Assembly including Amos
Chibaya (Mkoba), Murisi Zwizwai (Harare Central) and Happymore Chidziva
(Highfield West).
Others are
Proportionate Representatives Bacilia Majaya, Macharairwa Mugidho, Virginia
Muradzikwa, Annah Myambo, Francisca Ncube and Nomathemba Ndlovu. Daily News
0 comments:
Post a Comment