Thabitha Khumalo

Service/Political Career

She is a founder member of the Movement for Democratic Change. Khumalo is also a human rights defender and champion of the rights of children, women, as well as the disadvantaged. Upon election to the Parliament, she was appointed member of the Parliamentary Forum of the Southern African Development Community, where she chaired the Standing Committee on HIV and AIDS.

In 2011, she was appointed to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Advisory Group on HIV and AIDS and Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and served as its Vice-Chair until 2015. She was also active in the Parliament Select Committee responsible for crafting a new Constitution under the Government of National Unity, and served in the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders, which is the supreme decision making body of the Parliament.^[1]

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Bulawayo East returned to Parliament:

• Thabitha Khumalo of MDC–T with 4 560 votes or 37.46 percent,
• David Coltart of MDC–N with 4 540 votes or 37.30 percent,
• Kevin Muzvidziwa of Zanu PF with 2 842 votes or 23.35 percent,
• 4 others with 230 votes or 1.90 percent.

Total 12 493 votes

On 1 March 2017, Khumalo was appointed MDC-T spokesperson following the suspension of Obert Gutu.

Events

Stepping Down For Coltart

In September 2017, a source told a local publication that Khumalo had resolved to step down and not contest in the 2018 general elections after she ceded her parliamentary seat to the Welshman Ncube led MDC’s David Coltart as part of the opposition parties’ MDC Alliance coalition deal. When contacted for comment, Khumalo initially said she was not aware of the deal before saying she was committed to see the alliance work and would sacrifice for the greater good of the country. ^[2]

Suspension From MDC-T

In August 2017, Khumalo was suspended from MDC-T by the late Morgan Tsvangirai following violence against Thokozani Khupe. Khumalo was suspended together with the party’s Deputy Treasurer-General Mr. Charlton Hwende and three members of the youth wing pending investigations. Khumalo was allegedly suspended for masterminding the attack on Khupe, Lovemore Moyo and Abednico Bhebhe after they allegedly convened a meeting at the party’s provincial offices in Bulawayo a day after the MDC Alliance launch.

Khumalo was cleared of wrong-doing while Mr Bhebhe was found guilty of making reckless statements to the Press. ^[3]

Chinotimba insult

Joseph Chinotimba allegedly labelled Khumalo a prostitute during an answer and question session in parliament.^[4]. However two days later the two legislators made peace and hugged in parliament.^[5]

March 2021 Attack

On 6 March 2021, Khumalo was attacked by two armed men who broke into her Bulawayo home. The robbers severely assaulted her using a knobkerrie before stabbing her. Khumalo was alone at her Sauesrtown house when she was attacked. The unknown assailants also stole Khumalo’s belongings, a 64-inch flat-screen television set, a laptop and three cellphones. The MDC Alliance issued a statement saying they suspected the attack was politically motivated and orchestrated by suspected state security agents because the intruders openly said they were looking for “Honourable Khumalo”.

Khumalo was admitted at a Bulawayo hospital and received stitches on the palm of her right hand. When a publication interviewed her, Khumalo was struggling to move, as her legs were heavily bruised with swollen marks all over her body, said she “almost died”. She told The Standard:

“It was around 4am, I had woken up to go to the toilet when I saw people who were torching the house with their cellphones. In shock, I asked who they were. There were two men and they said to me they were looking for Honourable Khumalo. I told them I don’t know her and they sprayed some substance on me. They started beating me up and ordered me to tell Honourable Khumalo to stop moving all over the show and be quiet. They struck me on my head first, hammered my knees and one of them took a knife and aimed for my head. I instantly raised my hand and I was stabbed on my palm. I collapsed after the attack."

^[6]

TED Talk

References