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Bhebhe coy on suspension

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SUSPENDED MDC-T organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe yesterday declined to comment over the disciplinary action taken against him by the party, saying he would only announce his next move after receiving official communication over his suspension.

SUSPENDED MDC-T organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe yesterday declined to comment over the disciplinary action taken against him by the party, saying he would only announce his next move after receiving official communication over his suspension.

By NQOBANI NDLOVU

MDC-T organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe is flanked by vice-president Thokozani Khupe (left) and Thabita Khumalo
MDC-T organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe is flanked by vice-president Thokozani Khupe (left) and Thabita Khumalo

Bhebhe was last week suspended alongside six party youths over their alleged links to recent intra-party clashes which left him, MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe and party chairman Lovemore Moyo bruised after they were assaulted by party youths.

Bhebhe stands accused of telling the media that the youths who attacked them had been sent by party leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

“For now it is business as usual, I will only take a stand once I have been served with the papers notifying me of my suspension. So far, nothing official has been communicated to me as yet,” Bhebhe told Southern Eye yesterday.

MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora confirmed that Bhebhe had not yet been served with his letter of suspension.

“What is true is that he has not been served with a letter of suspension. I think it is because the extraordinary national executive meeting took place on Friday and I don’t think the letter has been written yet,” Mwonzora said.

“Am not sure as to how long the suspension is. A suspension is never a permanent thing. It is suspension pending disciplinary action and it can be in two forms. The first where there is a disciplinary tribunal established or where Bhebhe makes his representations before the national council and it (NC) decides whether to proceed or not.”

Meanwhile, Mwonzora said the MDC Alliance to challenge President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF in the 2018 elections would also be unveiled in Bulawayo on Saturday, barring any last-minute cancellations.

The MDC Alliance was launched in the capital recently, bringing together the MDC-T, MDC led by Welshman Ncube, the Tendai Biti-led People’s Democratic Party, Transform Zimbabwe under Jacob Ngarivhume, Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) and the Multi-Racial Christian Democratic Party.

Tsvangirai’s deputy Khupe and other senior party officials such as the suspended Bhebhe and Moyo have been against the opposition party engaging in a blanket coalition deal with other parties. They argue the MDC-T needs a coalition in areas where it has lost to Zanu PF in past elections.

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