Khupe's Lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku Will Not Succeed: Nelson Chamisa

Responding to questions in an interview by Thulasizwe Simelane on ENCA’s Justice Factor, MDC-T leader Nelson Chamisa said Thokozani Khupe’s lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku will not succeed. Madhuku is representing Khupe in a case where MDC-T chairman Morgen Komichi is suing former party deputy president and her allies over use of the party’s name and logo. 

MDC-T is seeking an order stopping the respondents from “unlawfully exploiting and abusing its registered MDC-T trademark, symbols and signs”. The High Court will deliver a judgement on Tuesday. Madhuku also filed a Constitutional Court application challenging Khupe’s expulsion from Parliament following her expulsion from MDC-T. However, Chamisa said Madhuku will not succeed and will fail as he did when he represented Tendai Biti against Morgan Tsvangirai. Madhuku wrote the MDC-T constitution. Said Chamisa:

Doctor Madhuku is not challenging Nelson Chamisa. He is challenging the MDC, and it’s not the first time that Madhuku has done it. He did it against President Morgan Richard Tsvangirai when he was supporting my brother Tendai Biti and others, and he did not succeed and he will not succeed again this time around. Of course the reason why he is pushing that I would not know. But he is clearly wrong at law if he thinks that he will push it through the courts, because the courts have already pronounced themselves on this and we do not want to even go there because the challenges Zimbabweans are facing are far more serious than to worry about sideshows and shadow boxing.

Khupe insists she is MDC-T acting president, arguing the party’s constitution gave her the locus standi to claim the post following the death of party founder Morgan Tsvangirai on February 14.