HARARE – MDC rivals Nelson Chamisa and Thokozani Khupe were brought together by the death of Glen View South MP Vimbai Tsvangirai on Thursday.
The two were seen in conversation and Chamisa later stepped up to the podium to stop booing and jeering targeted at Khupe by MDC supporters during a church service at the City Sports Centre in Harare.
“If you’re not able to be tolerant to Dr Khupe, then you’re not able to respect me and that, we will not tolerate. I hope you don’t feel I have dressed you down in front of visitors,” Chamisa said after taking the microphone to call his supporters to order.
Earlier, MDC vice chairman Job Sikhala had also stepped forward to urge MDC supporters to stop the booing in respect of Vimbai, the daughter of the former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Vimbai died aged 35 on June 10, almost a month after she was involved in a car accident that claimed the lives of her uncle and a friend.
She was laid to rest at Glen Forest in Harare on Thursday afternoon.
Her funeral was also attended by the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda.
Addressing the church service, Chamisa described Khupe as a “comrade in the struggle as we go forward.” He said Khupe deserved respect for “the journey we travelled together.”
Khupe, who was MDC vice president, got locked in a leadership dispute with Chamisa following the death of founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2018. The two contested the election using the MDC name, and no conversation is known to have taken place between them since the split.
“You were my deputy prime minister when I was your minister; you were my vice president when I was your spokesperson and organising secretary. That hierarchy is not broken,” Chamisa said, as he also revealed that he had personally sought Khupe on Wednesday after learning that he was at the Tsvangirai home in Strathaven.
“We will build this country together. Everyone has a role,” Chamisa said.
