THE Thokozani Khupe led MDC Saturday went back on its promises to attend late founding MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s memorial with a party official saying this was out of concern for their security.
Khupe survived an attack by pro-Chamisa supporters during tense scenes that characterised Tsvangirai’s funeral last year.
On Friday, her party confirmed to NewZimbabwe.com that the former Tsvangirai deputy and a handful party leaders will attend the Buhera ceremony.
But party secretary general Nickson Nyikadzino said Saturday that Khupe and her allies later went back on the promises for their security.
“After assessing the situation, we felt it was not necessary to put the life of our president at risk considering what happened at the funeral last year with MDC Alliance youths who were there today.
“She has paid homage to the family and will be visiting them as well as president Morgan Tsvangirai’s tombstone soon,” Nyikadzino said.
Except during the January funeral for Oliver Mtukudzi where they were both caught up in a stampede to enter the late music icon’s Madziva homestead, Chamisa and Khupe are yet to meet since the party’s nasty fallout last year.
The MDC split was triggered by a decision by Chamisa to grab power at the expense of co-deputies Khupe and Elias Mudzuri on the news of their boss’s death. – News Zim
