SUSPECTED MDC-Assembly hooligans, who illegally stormed into the troubled opposition party Morgan Tsvangirai headquarters on Sunday, yesterday allegedly kidnapped 12 of their rivals as the internecine factional fights in the party almost spilled into the streets of Harare.
Alert police had to swiftly intervene to ensure peace and
tranquillity prevail in the capital as the warring factions threatened to take
the law into their hands in complete disregard to the Covid-19 regulations as
well as the rule of law.
The occupation of the Morgan Tsvangirai House (also known
as Harvest House) comes a few days after MDC A leader Mr Nelson Chamisa, who
violently grabbed the party presidency in 2018, last Saturday threatened
unspecified radicalism in order to reverse the will of the people as expressed
in the 2018 harmonised elections.
In an interview, MDC secretary general Mr Douglas Mwonzora,
who is a member of the Dr Thokozani Khupe faction, accused Mr Chamisa of
sending his “hooligans” to ignite violent skirmishes.
“They have kidnapped people from our party and unlawfully
occupied our headquarters, as I speak they are holding 12 people hostage at the
Harvest House, we know they want to trigger unrest and violence so we are not
going to indulge them, we have reported the case of kidnapping to the police,”
said Mwonzora.
Due to the actions of the MDC warring factions, some roads
in the CBD had to be closed while the factions had to be restrained by the
police from engaging in street fights.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said
they had to deploy forces so as to ensure peace prevails after getting
information that there were machinations to cause violence by one of the
factions.
“The ZRP maintained law and order in Harare CBD today after
reports of purported violence at Harvest House had been reported. Basically
Police were ensuring that peace prevails in the CBD,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
Although MDC-A secretary general Mr Chalton Hwende claimed
that the youths who took occupation of the Harvest House were not members of
their party, one Paul Gorekore, who claimed to be a member of the MDC-T youths’
assembly as per the troubled party 2014 structures, said in a statement that
they besieged the MDC headquarters to pave way for future meetings among all
party members, a situation that would benefit Mr Chamisa.
“This act of bravery was necessitated by the need to
protect our beloved movement and the Zimbabwean people’s fight for better
lives. As young people we will remain guided by the organs of the party in
particular the National Council as we establish the will of MDC leaders,
members, supporters and Zimbabweans at large.
“…We furthermore urge the Zimbabwe Republic Police to
desist from interfering in MDC internal political affairs and immediately
vacate our headquarters. We also urge all youths to maintain discipline and
peace as we await the party national executive and national council meeting to
map the political way forward,” he said.
The MDC history is littered with examples of violence,
splits as well as campaigning for the continued existence of illegal economic
sanctions that western nations imposed on Zimbabwe so as to squeeze the
Revolutionary Party, Zanu PF, out of power. Herald
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