"This Is The Highest Level Of Mediocrity, Misogyny & Idiocy," Masarira On Khupe, Ex-Lover Saga
The leader of the Labor Economists Afrikan Democrats (LEAD) Linda Masarira has thrown her weight behind the leader of the MDC-T, Thokozani Khupe who is been accused of using her political muscle to take revenge on her former lover.
Khupe recently recalled Gideon Shoko, an MDC Alliance senator who allegedly fathered her child, for siding with her nemesis, Nelson Chamisa in the MDC leadership wrangle.
The move was viewed by some as Khupe’s way to take revenge on her ex-lover. Masarira was clearly not amused by comments on Khupe’s gesture. She said:
This is the highest level of mediocrity, misogyny & idiocy. I have never seen anyone bring up past lovers of male politicians in Zimbabwe. This trend is getting out of hand & its time that #ZimWomenPoliticians unite to stop this nonsense. There is nothing for women without women.
The use of Khupe’s private life suggests how nasty the leadership crisis in the MDC which started shortly before the demise of the party’s founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai has become.
Khupe recently sought the services of the army and police to oust MDC Alliance from the Harvest House christened Morgan Tsvangirai House.
The power wrangle reportedly started with “Tsvangirai’s unconstitutional appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri” to be his vice presidents and was worsened by “Chamisa’s eventual usurpation of power from Khupe who was the legitimate heir to the throne.”
Despite the presence of legal frameworks which promote the participation and inclusion of women in politics and administrative issues, very few women make it to the top echelons of power due to a number of issues including lack of funding and public perception, both a result of a patriarchal society still prevailing in the country.
Joyce Mujuru, the former vice president of Zimbabwe, stands out as one case that gave hope that the country was moving towards the inclusion of women in decision making positions in the public sector.
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