This comes after
Bhebhe claimed in the High Court last week that party funds totalling $7
million were wiped out by acting party president Khupe and national chair Morgen
Komichi.
Bhebhe, however, yesterday remained defiant, saying the
move to take disciplinary action against him was unconstitutional. The party’s
organising secretary made the accusation in his affidavit filed at the High
Court following a court challenge by two disgruntled ctivists, Gilbert Kagodora
and Nason Mamuse. In a fight back, the party’s national council resolved to bring Bhebhe
before the disciplinary committee for allegedly disrespecting party leaders.
“Denounce acts of gross indiscipline, destabilisation and
bringing the party into disrepute by Hon A Bhebhe (national organiser) and Paul Gorekore
(national council member) amongst others. The party leadership to commence
disciplinary actions forthwith against the two in line with the constitution of
the party,” it said in a statement after its national council meeting on
Sunday.
However, a defiant Bhebhe dismissed the decision saying: “I
don’t have any case to answer. I am still waiting for the communication, but what they are trying to do
is unconstitutional.”
In his court papers, Bhebhe accused party leaders of
abusing funds. “MDC-T opened and now operates books of accounts without
reference whatsoever to the national executive as is
required by the
constitution,” he said.
“In fact, MDC-T received from the Government of Zimbabwe,
under the Political Finances Act, a whopping seven million five hundred
thousand Zimbabwean dollars ($7,5 million) which Khupe and Komichi wiped out
outside the mandate and framework of 1st Respondent (MDC)’ constitution.”
He said Khupe and Komichi were failing to organise proper
national executive committee meetings as required by the party’s constitution.
“In fact, as late as Thursday the 8th of October 2020, in
the course of a sitting of 1st Respondent’s national standing committee, a sub-committee of the national
executive, I reiterated for the umpteenth time to 2nd (Khupe) and 3rd
respondents (Komichi) the need to convene a national executive and/or national
council meeting,” he said.
“I must acknowledge though a sorry attempt by 2nd
respondent to hold a virtual national council meeting, sometime on the 9th of
May 2020. Khupe directed the holding of a national council meeting on the
WhatsApp platform.”
In their meeting on Sunday, the MDC also decided to block
any member who is linked to Nelson Chamisa’s faction from attending the proposed
extraordinary congress as directed by the Supreme Court, resolving to “denounce
and totally reject the calls by G40 fronting erstwhile comrades, from
participating in our extraordinary congress on the basis that in 2014, they
were part of our structures before joining, supporting and even starting a new
party (MDC Alliance).
“Mandate the standing committee to put in motion party
systems to ensure orderly nominations of candidates, for the extra-ordinary
congress.
“Adopt all recalls and expulsions done so far in respect of
all those who joined, supported (through commission or omission) or formed
other political parties,” the resolution reads. The opposition party decided to
hold its congress during the week of December 13 to 20. The MDC has over 9 000
wards, 210
districts, 12 local provinces and three external, the party’s national standing
committee, national executive and national council members form the electoral
college to the congress.
Recently, the Supreme Court gave Khupe up to November 30 to
hold the party’s extra-ordinary congress to elect a substantive president. In the event of her
failure to do so, the court directed that Komichi should do it by December 30. Daily News
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