I turned down ‘an affair’ with Khupe – Job Sikhala

MDC Alliance vice-chairman Job Sikhala has claimed that several approaches were made by people from the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T for him to join and become their president, but the Zengeza West MP turned down the offer because he did not want to betray the will of the people.

On Thursday, Sikhala rebuked Khupe’s spokesman Khalipani Phugeni for ‘lying’ that the MDC Alliance vice-chairman was intending to join the MDC-T.

Sikhala who was recently arrested and charged with allegations of inciting violence in connection with the 31st July protests against corruption said his loyalty was to the people of Zimbabwe.

“What I am told is that he claimed that I have joined them. It must be on record that for many many years I never met this Khalipani Phugeni since he stopped attending MDC T meetings which I was a National Executive member as the Secretary for Recruitment and Mobilisation during the period of the late President Morgan Tsvangirai.

“He abruptly stopped attending MDC meetings after the appointment of VaMudzuri and VaChamisa as Vice Presidents of the party.

“I coincidentally bumped into him at Holiday Inn Hotel soon after the 2018 elections where he told me that he had come for the launch of POLAD.

“He was seated on top of his bag right on the entrance to the Hotel. I greeted him and had a few minutes chat where he told me that he is in Harare from SA for the launch of POLAD.

“I wonder what gave him the audacity to speak on my behalf as if I am dead. Even Fadzai Mahere has never dared to speak on my behalf on issues of my personal thinking.

“This man is astonishingly brave. But he must be told beforehand that respect is very important. Don’t talk about other people who have never talked about you without their consent. It is not only dangerous but borders on contempt of others,” Sikhala said. TheZimbabwemail