MDC-T Bulawayo provincial chairperson and deputy mayor Gift Banda has filed an urgent application at the Bulawayo High Court alleging that vice president Thokozani Khupe has illegally grabbed the party’s provincial offices. This comes a few weeks after violence broke out between supporters of MDC-T president Nelson Chamisa and those of Khupe as the rival factions fought for control of the offices.
Part of Banda’s court papers read,
I submit that this matter is urgent because as a province we have nowhere else to operate from as all lawful structures of the party under my control and supervision have been excluded from accessing the offices at a critical time when we are processing candidate selection and preparing for crucial elections.
I seek this honourable court’s protection and intervention on an urgent basis from the unlawful actions of the respondents in despoiling me of control and occupation of our provincial offices. The practice is that any organ of Bulawayo province intending to use the party offices is required to seek my authority. I, as a matter of fact, grant such authority for all legitimate and lawful activities for the province.
Khupe has said that she will be filing her court papers opposing the application today (Friday).
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