Political Reporter
MDC Alliance National Chairperson Thabitha Khumalo was admitted in hospital on Saturday morning after she was severely assaulted by that party’s youths allegedly aligned to the rival camp led by suspended Secretary General Charlton Hwende.
Mrs Khumalo, who is now recovering from assault and stab wounds, was attacked early Saturday morning at her house in Saucertown, Bulawayo while she was alone at home.
Sources who spoke to this publication said Khumalo’s attackers are well known MDC Alliance youths who were sent by Hwende to scare Khumalo.
“The youths who attacked Khumalo are well known party youths who were sent by Hwende to scare Khumalo. It’s well known within the party that Hwende and Khumalo do not see eye to eye because of their political differences. If Khumalo’s attackers are to be arrested, the world will know that her attackers are not State security agents, as being alleged by others, but party youths who were sent by Hwende” said the source.
The same source added that Khumalo’s assailants took her laptop and cellphone because there are suspicions that she is in clandestine talks with other members of the party where they are planning to ditch Nelson Chamisa’s political formation and form another party or join ZANU PF.
“The reason why Khumalo’s assailants took her laptop and cellphone is that there are reports that Khumalo was urging other members to ditch the MDC Alliance and form another party or join ZANU PF. The assailants also took a television set so that the world might believe that it was a robbery. However, the target was Khumalo’s cellphone and laptop and don’t be surprised to see Khumalo’s WhatsApp chats being leaked to the media by unknown people,” added the source.
The source added that it’s a shame that Chamisa and other MDC Alliance members chose to blame the State agents for Khumalo’s attack when they really know that it was Hwende who ordered a hit on Khumalo.
Political analyst, Tashinga Chabayanzara, said it’s not the first time for female politicians in MDC to be attacked by thugs because of some political differences.
“This is not the first time for MDC youths to attack their own member. In 2001, Priscilla Misihairambwi was attacked by party youths while attending a provincial meeting in Dzivarasekwa. In 2006, the then Harare North legislator Trudy Stevenson, was attacked by party youths for having a different political view with others.
“In March 2014, the then MDC Harare Youth Secretary for Information, Angela Hwanyanya was attacked also by well-known party youths at Harvest House. So it’s not a new phenomenon in MDC for female members to be attacked by party youths because we have witnessed that many times over the years,” said Chabayanzara.
Efforts to get a comment from Hwende were fruitless as he did not respond to questions send to him on his WhatsApp.
