Defeated former MDC-T Acting President Dr Thokozani Khupe will remain he Leader of Opposition in Parliament despite her losing to Senator Douglas Mwonzora in the recently ended Extra-ordinary Congress. Mwonzora was declared the MDC-T party’s substantive in an election marred with violence and claims of rigging.
His challengers Thokozani Khupe, Elias Mudzuri and Morgen Komichi claimed that the election was rigged as the votes tilted towards Mwonzora.
Komichi, later on, embraced Mwonzora as showers of praise rained from Zanu PF, calling MDC-T a mature opposition and promising to work with it.
President Mnangagwa bizarrely endorsed Mwonzora in a long message on his social media handles, part of which read “ A few days ago, the opposition MDC-T party held its elective congress, in full compliance with, and fulfilment of, court judgments. Let me take this opportunity to formally and personally congratulate Douglas Mwonzora for prevailing at that Congress.”
Zimbabweans thought Mwonzora was to assume the role of the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, a position that popular opposition leader Nelson Chamisa refused when he was offered at the end of 2018 elections.
The damning revelation was made by Presidential Spokesperson George Charamba on his Twitter account.
All ye citizens of Political Society, know thee that Leader of the Opposition title goes to a Lower House representative of the next major political party after the ruling party. Not a holder of Senatorial position!
From Charamba’s interpretation, only MPs can become Leaders of Opposition in Parliament.
Mwonzora has not yet commented about the role or on Charamba’s revelation.
The suspected Zanu PF sponsored opposition is seen as a creation of the ruling party due to its soft stance towards Zanu PF’s manoeuvres and its use of security forces to thwart the main opposition MDC Alliance.
The minority party recalled MPs and councillors elected under the MDC Alliance banner in 2018 taking advantage of the 30 March 2020 Supreme court ruling that directed it to return to ts 2014 structures and elect a substantive leader. The MPs and councillors were replaced by those of Khupe’s picking. Khupe also made herself an MP, facilitating her move to take the position of Leader of Opposition in Parliament.