Some Movement for Democratic Change Alliance activists on Wednesday stopped opposition MDC-T leader, Thokozani Khupe, from attending the funeral of Nelson Chamisa’s mother in Gutu, Masvingo.
According to Khaliphani Pugeni, presidential spokesperson of the MDC-T, some youth stopped Khupe from entering the Chamisa homestead claiming that they were supposed to inform the MDC Alliance leader first before allowing her to attend the funeral.
Pugeni said some MDC Alliance youth were visibly unhappy about Khupe’s presence at the funeral.
“They indicated that they wanted to inform Chamisa about Khupe’s arrival at the Chamisa homestead. There were suggestions that Chamisa will ride in Khupe’s vehicle and then they will drive into the homestead. But we sensed some discomfort among the youth and then we decided to leave the place to avoid violence.”
MDC Alliance presidential spokesperson, Dr. Nkululeko Sibanda, was unavailable for comment as he mobile phone was unreachable.
Khupe recently invaded Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House in Harare, affectionately known as Harvest House, following a court ruling that Chamisa was not legitimately elected leader of the MDC after the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in 2018.
Khupe has since recalled 21 lawmakers linked to the Chamisa MDC formation and at least four councilors, claiming that they are resisting her leadership of the MDC-T.
Chamisa still maintains that he defeated President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the 2018 presidential election, whose contested results were taken to the Electoral Court that ruled in favour of the president.
But Chamisa has refused to recognize Mnangagwa as the legitimately-elected president of Zimbabwe.