Updated: Thokozani Khupe Expelled From Parliament

Former MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe has been expelled from Parliament after being recalled by her former party. This was announced by the speaker of Parliament, Honourable Jacob Mudenda on Thursday. Mudenda announced that a vacancy had arisen for a Bulawayo Metropolitan Proportional representation seat as he had received a letter from the opposition MDC-T advising him that Khupe had been expelled from the party. As a result, she ceased to represent the party and its interests.

Said Mudenda,

Pursuant to this, a vacancy has arisen in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. I would like to notify this House that on the 10th of April, 2018, Parliament was notified by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) that Honourable Dr Thokozani Khupe, Proportional Representation Member of Parliament, had ceased to be a member of the Movement for Democratic Change and therefore no longer represents the interests of the party in Parliament.

Khupe was expelled from the opposition party together with Abdenico Bhebhe and Obert Gutu after they refused to recognise Nelson Chamisa’s appointment as the successor to the late founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai. However, a defiant Khupe has insisted that she is the rightful leader of the MDC-T and has indicated her intention to contest in the 2018 Presidential Elections under the MDC-T banner.

Khupe has vowed to fight her expulsion through the courts.  She also slammed Parliament for taking sides in what she claimed is essentially a factional fight.