"It's Very Suspicious That After We Announce Our Congress Date Then There Is This Demo," - MDC-T On 31 July Protest

Opposition MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe has suggested that the 31 July protest that was called by Jacob Ngarivhume, leader of the opposition Transform Zimbabwe was a strategy by rival MDC Alliance to disrupt its court-sanctioned extraordinary congress.

Addressing reporters on Sunday at the Morgan Tsvangirai House, formerly known as Harvest House, MDC-T acting spokesperson Khalipani Phugeni suggested that party rivals had double motives. He said:

We are worried and suspicious because we have intelligence that there are credible attempts to disrupt our extra-ordinary congress and we found it to be very suspicious that after we announce our date and then there is this demonstration.

Authorities have, however, since banned the congress citing the coronavirus pandemic as the reason why the opposition party should not have the congress.

The congress had been sanctioned by the Supreme Court in a ruling on the MDC leadership crisis so that the party would select a successor to the founding leader, the late Morgan Tsvangirai.

Last Sunday, MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa, however, denied organising the protest but endorsed it saying he will support any progressive force that fights for the welfare of workers, against human rights violations and bad governance.

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