The property,
which housed the opposition party during the late Morgan Tsvangirai’s
leadership before he died in 2018, has been at the centre of several fights
over its control since the ex-Prime Minister’s demise. Former MDC leaders
including Thokozani Khupe, Douglas Mwonzora, Nelson Chamisa, Elias Mudzuri and
Morgan Komichi, have tried to control the MRT House.
Some of the
leaders were assaulted by youths from different factions for trying to take
control of the building.
The
Mwonzora-led MDC youth assembly claimed this week that there is a plot to take
over the party's headquarters in Harare’s central business district by a group
allegedly led by Mudzuri, the party’s former vice-president.
In a statement,
the MDC youth assembly argued that the judgment has been appealed and its
effect suspended pending determination by the Supreme Court.
“It has come to
our attention that some hired thugs from Elias Mudzuri’s small camp want to
come and occupy the MDC headquarters violently,” the assembly said.
“A shadowy
character, one Mbidzo, confirmed as such in one of his social media posts. He
was fired by the previous administration from the MDC where he used to work.”
However,
Mudzuri yesterday dismissed the claims, calling them unfounded, adding that the
building belonged to members and not individuals.
“He is just
filling the air with nonsense. The court judgment asked us to go to a congress,
but it is being disputed by Mwonzora. But what it [judgment] is telling us is
to go back and rebuild our party.
“What Mwonzora
is saying is unfounded. He is seeking condonation because his first appeal was
thrown out for lack of compliance in terms of procedure.
“He has also
asked us to talk to him; we are talking to him, but he is going around writing
fake news that we want to take the place violently.
“So what I can
say is, I don't know where that is coming from, we cannot be fighting over a
dead party. We should be looking at how to rebuild it, because the MDC members
have the power to rebuild it.”
Mudzuri said
party properties belonged to MDC, thus members were the rightful owners of MRT
House.
“You know, when
you change leadership, you dissolve the previous government and then you create
a new one. So, the real owners of the MDC properties right now are the members.
“The MDC is a
party, and the members, you don't lose your membership. Is someone writing for
that youth assembly? There is no more youth assembly. What we are asking
Mwonzora to do is to allow members to [re]build their party,” he said.
In the
statement, MDC youth assembly national chairperson Albert Chidakwa argued that
the High Court judgment did not nullify Mwonzora's presidency after he was
elected unopposed and declared president on November 20, 2022.
“The High Court
judgment has been appealed in the Supreme Court and it is awaiting
determination. The effect of the appeal is to suspend the judgment of Justice
Zhou at the High Court. The High Court never nullified Senator Mwonzora's
presidency,” he said.
“We will never
brook anyone who wants to take power in the MDC through undemocratic means. We
are aware of treacherous elements based outside the country that are sponsoring
violence to start at MRT House.
“We are aware
of some treacherous elements who are within the leadership who are working with
the enemy to undermine our internal democracy.” Newsday
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