By NQOBANI NDLOVU
A BID by former MDC organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe to stop the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T party from holding its extraordinary congress on Saturday was dealt a blow yesterday after the High Court postponed the matter to next week.
Bhebhe filed an urgent chamber application at the Bulawayo High Court on Friday seeking an interdict to stop the congress until his matter challenging his suspension and subsequent expulsion from the party was resolved.
The congress will be held in Harare, secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora announced on Monday.
The former Nkayi South legislator was recently expelled from the MDC-T on charges that he was an MDC Alliance lackey, which he denies.
Bhebhe is also eyeing the presidency.
However, Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Christopher Dube Banda postponed the matter to next week after the respondents’ lawyer, Tawanda Tawengwa argued that the respondents could not prepare their opposing papers because they were served with the applicant‘s court papers late on Tuesday.
Bhebhe’s lawyer Nqobani Sithole however, said they had “plan B” without giving details.
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“We have taken into cognisance that by the time all these will happen, the congress would have taken place and our client is confident that there is a plan B. We have discussed this option at large and we will spring a suprise,” Sithole said.
In his application, Bhebhe cited Khupe as the first respondent, while the party chairperson Morgen Komichi and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) were cited as second and third respondents, respectively.
Khupe, Mwonzora, Komichi and Elias Mudzuri are contesting to fill the vacant post of president following the death of founding leader and former trade unionist Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2018.
MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa seized the reins after Tsvangirai’s death, but the Supreme Court ruled his presidency illegitimate, culminating in a bruising fight for the party assets with Khupe, the interim leader.
The Supreme Court ordered that an extraordinary congress be held. Khupe has used her position to recall a number of councillors and legislators for not declaring allegiance to her and questioning her legitimacy.
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