Political analysts have expressed mixed views over former MDC-T president Thokozani Khupe’s return to Parliament Wednesday, two years after her expulsion in April 2018.
Khupe, now acting president of MDC-T according to the March 31 Supreme Court ruling which nullified Nelson Chamisa’s presidency, was recalled by her party from Parliament when the leadership wrangle intensified following the death of MDC founding president Morgan Tsvangirai in 2018.
She went on to contest the presidential polls in the same year and lost.
The former leader of the opposition, was however sworn-in as a Member of Parliament together with 14 other members of her party replacing MDC Alliance members, which her faction recalled recently.
The former deputy prime minister said she would reassume her position as the leader of the opposition in the August house.
“From whichever angle one looks at it Khupe and her MPs are in Parliament, legally,” said Methuseli Moyo, a political analyst.
“All other arguments don’t matter now. Obviously, this is a bitter pill to swallow for the rival faction but they have to live with it. It all started with the fiasco triggered by the succession battle after Tsvangirai’s death. Both sides have been scheming and winning and losing some. Khupe has won this one. Maybe she deserves it. Only the court could and can protect the ‘weak’ from the strong.”
Moyo said there was no longer any opposition to talk about in Zimbabwe.
“The opposition must reposition itself and reorganise,” he said.
“Right now it has been torn into pieces, due to both its recklessness, and the exploitation of that by the ‘enemy’.”
Khanyile Mlotshwa, another political analyst said: “From going through Twitter, it is clear that MDC-Alliance supporters feel betrayed, not only by people they have always felt are fellow democrats but by the democratic processes. It means they have no representation at all, yet they voted for people they wanted to represent them.”
He said until the next elections the MDC-Alliance supporters would remain disenfranchised with no representation.
Mlotshwa said Khupe’s return to Parliament would not add any value to the August House.
“From an opposition perspective, the quality of one’s input can only be measured on the basis of how much they hold the government to account,” argued Mlotshwa.
“From what has been happening, I doubt Khupe will do that. I doubt if her entry will improve any parliamentary engagements.”
