BY RICHARD MUPONDE Former MDC-T organising secretary Abednego Bhebhe has slapped MDC-T president Douglas Mwonzora in the face after he said he did not recognise his leadership and the party had no legal standing to readmit him to its structures. Bhebhe was expelled from the troubled opposition party in November last year for supporting MDC Alliance members who had filed a High Court challenge to stop the Supreme Court-ordered party extraordinary congress (EOC) to replace MDC founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai. He was supposed to be one of the presidential candidates, alongside Thokozani Khupe, Mwonzora, Morgen Komichi and Elias Mudzuri, but was fired for his alleged closeness to MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa. Last week, the party’s national council (NC) resolved to readmit Bhebhe to the party as an ordinary card-carrying member. However, Bhebhe said he did not appeal against his expulsion as stipulated in the party constitution. “The supposed resolution to readmit me into MDC-T is not only a violation of the party constitution, unless, of course, the said gathering amended the clause as well, but more concerning is the devious portrayal as well as battering of my image as if I am a desperate politician seeking someone’s benevolence. That’s unacceptable and should not go unchallenged,” Bhebhe said in a statement. Bhebhe said he did not recognise the EOC that ushered in Mwonzora’s leadership. “I want to make it clear that I don’t recognise the EOC of December 27 2020, hence the so-called NC has no legal mandate to readmit me to what I don’t even recognise,” Bhebhe added. “The party constitution was flagrantly violated and Mwonzora’s leadership is disputed because of the several irregularities that accompanied the shameful election, irregularities that could have been avoided, particularly by those masquerading as democrats. “Not only was the voters’ roll shambolic, but there was no quorum for the EOC which was characterised by violence, among many other shortcomings.” He said his expulsion by Mwonzora was a plot to eliminate his main challenger, adding that many delegates were barred from participating in the EOC just because they backed his candidature. Follow Richard on Twitter @muponderichard