Masunungure Says Khupe Fully Controls All MDC MPs Senators Councillors

By Staff Reporter
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April 05, 2020

Khupe now holds sway over both the party’s legislators and councillors, who were elected in the 2018 national polls under the MDC Alliance banner.

FEARS are mounting regarding the future of the MDC, amid warnings from both within and outside the country’s main opposition that Tuesday’s Supreme Court ruling could have far-reaching implications on the party and its performance in the 2023 elections.

Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, both party insiders and political analysts expressed grave concern about the continuing brawling within the party, amid indications that the main protagonists on both sides of the mindless bloodletting are prepared to take the party down with them.

“We may not want to admit it, but we are in a royal, mega mess that goes beyond the Supreme Court’s ruling and Zanu PF’s machinations. “I’m truly staggered by how we continue to score multiple own goals to our own detriment, as is exemplified by the party’s politically naive decision to appeal last year’s High Court ruling which has worsened our situation.

“Now, we are arguing that we are MDC Alliance and not bothered by the Supreme Court’s ruling. If that is so, why did we bring this misery on ourselves?” an anguished senior party official bemoaned.

“Save (totem for the late MDC founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai) would have never fallen for this bait as we saw in 2005 and 2014 when some comrades foolishly took him on,” the official further told the Daily News.

Another dejected party bigwig said the only way forward for the party was for the various combatants to “realise that their political future was on the line” and that “only mature discussions among us all will resolve this ugliness”. “I am aware that I am among the minority on this, but we are all going nowhere fast if we continue to put our egos in front as we are doing.

We must sit down and sort out these differences once and for all, if we are for the people … otherwise Zanu PF will rule unfettered until kingdom come.

“If we fail to do this, not only will we have to deal with another damaging split, we will also witness even more bloody feuds over funds, assets, MPs and everything else that we can kill each other for,” the second official told the Daily News.

Similarly, political analysts also warned that the road ahead would be “very bumpy” as both Nelson Chamisa and Thokozani Khupe dug in in their corners.

University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, was among those who said that the MDC was facing significant turmoil.

“The judgment has introduced new dynamics, putting the entire opposition into uncertainty. As a result, the opposition will be very weak in 2023, just as was the case in 2005 and 2013.

“I’m not sure what the legal implications are with regards to the party’s name, but whatever the case may be immense turbulence is inevitable in the MDC.

“There is going to be gnashing of teeth and this problem is not going to be wished away,” Masunungure told the Daily News.

“It was clear for some time that there was terrible factionalism in the MDC, and now the Supreme Court has exposed all this,” he added.

Masunugure also warned that Khupe now holds sway over both the party’s legislators and councillors, who were elected in the 2018 national polls under the MDC Alliance banner.

“Morgan Komichi absolved all those councillors who were suspended. He is already moving to take charge of the party. “IF MPS AND COUNCILLORS … MISBEHAVE, THEY CAN BE RECALLED BY THE NEW MDC LEADERSHIP. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE LEGAL POSITION APPEARS TO FAVOUR THE KHUPE GROUP AND ANYONE WHO DEFIES THEM COULD BE RECALLED.

“The MPs and councillors are in an invidious position … they are all probably searching high and low for the best way forward,” Masunungure said.

He also said it would be wrong to simply blame Zanu PF for all of the MDC’s problems “because they are largely self-inflicted”.

“The problem started in February 2018 with the decision to appoint Chamisa as the president. Some of us pointed this to Chamisa, but we were ridiculed because of the wave of populism around him.

“Everything has consequences and these are the consequences of a rushed decision … this is largely self-inflected. Of course, Zanu PF is capable of making Machiavellian moves, but the MDC has itself to blame,” Masunungure further told the Daily News.

“Of course Zanu PF would not be celebrating like they are doing if this decision strengthened the MDC. They are happy because their greatest threat has been seriously affected,” he added.

On his part, Rashweat Mukundu accused Zanu PF of trying to destroy the MDC ahead of the 2023 elections. Daily News

Category:
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Info News

Best Cyber Insurance Policies for Small Businesses in 2026

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Why Small Businesses Are Major Cyberattack Targets

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A lot of owners think hackers only chase Fortune 500 companies. That’s completely wrong.

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Best Cyber Insurance Features to Look for in 2026

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Cyber threats are changing quickly. Insurance companies are adjusting requirements every year.

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Some cyber insurance policies exclude social engineering attacks unless you purchase additional protection.

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Vendor and Third-Party Coverage

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How Much Cyber Insurance Costs in 2026

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Number of customer records stored
Prior claims history
Employee cybersecurity training

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Common Mistakes Businesses Make When Buying Cyber Insurance

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This is where many owners get burned.

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Employee negligence
Cryptocurrency losses
Social engineering fraud

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Always read exclusions carefully.

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Insurers increasingly require:

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Incident response plans

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Industries Paying the Highest Cyber Insurance Premiums

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Certain industries face much higher risks.

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Is cyber insurance worth it for small businesses?

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How much cyber insurance coverage does a small business need?

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Can a cyber insurance claim be denied?

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Which industries need cyber insurance the most?

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Employment Class Action Lawsuit: Wage, Overtime, and Worker Rights

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Employment Class Action Lawsuit: Wage, Overtime, and Worker Rights

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When one employee is underpaid, it may be a mistake. When hundreds or thousands of workers are underpaid in the same way, it may become an employment class action lawsuit.

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Employment class actions can help workers challenge company-wide policies that allegedly violate wage, hour, discrimination, or labor laws.

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These cases may involve unpaid overtime, off-the-clock work, misclassification, meal breaks, unpaid commissions, background check violations, or discriminatory practices.

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An employment class action is a lawsuit filed on behalf of a group of workers with similar legal claims against an employer.

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The workers may have been affected by the same:

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Pay policy
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rnJob classification
rnBreak policy
rnCommission plan
rnBackground check process
rnHiring practice
rnScheduling practice
rnWorkplace rule

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In federal court, class actions must satisfy Rule 23 requirements, including common legal or factual questions and adequate representation.

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Common Employment Class Action Claims

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Unpaid Overtime

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Employees may claim they worked more than 40 hours per week but were not properly paid overtime.

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Off-the-Clock Work

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Workers may claim they were required to work before clocking in, after clocking out, during unpaid breaks, or while responding to messages outside scheduled hours.

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Misclassification

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Some workers may claim they were wrongly classified as independent contractors or exempt employees.

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Meal and Rest Break Violations

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State laws may require certain meal or rest breaks. Violations can affect many workers.

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Unpaid Commissions or Bonuses

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Sales employees may bring claims over unpaid commissions, incentive pay, or bonus plans.

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Discrimination Class Actions

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Workers may challenge company-wide discrimination in hiring, pay, promotion, or termination.

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Useful evidence may include:

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Pay stubs
rnTime records
rnSchedules
rnEmails
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rnCompany policies
rnEmployee handbook
rnJob descriptions
rnCommission agreements
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rnWitness statements
rnPerformance records

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Workers should save documents when legally allowed and avoid deleting important communications.

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Can You Be Fired for Joining a Lawsuit?

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Retaliation laws may protect employees who assert workplace rights. However, retaliation issues can be complicated.

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If you fear retaliation, speak with an employment lawyer before taking action.

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Class Action vs. Collective Action

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Wage cases may involve class actions, collective actions, or both, depending on the law.

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For example, some federal wage claims use a collective action process where workers may need to opt in.

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The exact procedure depends on the claim and jurisdiction.

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What Can Workers Recover?

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Employment settlements may include:

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Unpaid wages
rnOvertime pay
rnPenalties
rnInterest
rnPolicy changes
rnAttorney fees
rnInjunctive relief
rnRecordkeeping improvements

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The amount depends on the case, law, number of workers, and damages.

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What Employers Usually Argue

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Employers may argue:

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Workers were properly paid
rnEmployees were exempt
rnTime records are accurate
rnClaims are too individualized
rnClass treatment is improper
rnPolicies were lawful
rnDamages are overstated

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Employment class actions can be strongly contested.

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When to Contact an Employment Class Action Lawyer

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You may want legal help if:

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Many workers have the same pay problem
rnOvertime was denied
rnEmployees worked off the clock
rnBreaks were missed due to company policy
rnWorkers were wrongly treated as contractors
rnPay stubs do not match hours worked
rnA company-wide policy seems unfair or illegal

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Final Thoughts

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Employment class action lawsuits can help workers challenge widespread workplace violations.

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If your employer’s pay or workplace policy affected many employees the same way, legal options may exist.

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Save records, avoid guessing, and speak with a qualified employment attorney.