Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is in a tense fight for its premises after an activist from the party seized the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai building, popularly known as Harvest House.
The building, known as Harvest House, was seized by Shakespeare Mukoyi, who serves as the Secretary for Defence, on Wednesday. He claimed to have evicted Douglas Mwonzora, whom he accused of running down the party.
Speaking after the takeover of the party headquarters, Mukoyi said the once formidable opposition party had fallen under Mwonzora's leadership.
"In the history of the MDC, even in the hostile areas, never had a day it got a zero on a polling station, let alone in a ward. So it gives us a worry as members of the security. Currently, I am holding the position of secretary for defence. It is my obligation and powers invested in my office to make sure that I defend this movement from internal adversaries to external adversaries," said Mukoyi.
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The takeover by Mukoyi is the latest battle for what remains of the MDC, which took a political nosedive after the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in 2018.
Since 2018, the party has been rocked by infighting and splits, weakening a movement that had formidably challenged ZANU PF under Tsvangirai.
The MDC under Mwonzora took over Harvest House in 2020 from the MDC Alliance, which was then led by Nelson Chamisa, at the height of the party's infighting.
In a statement, the MDC said the move was an attempt to thwart the party's resistance to ZANU PF's agenda to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's tenure.
"It has come to the attention of the party leadership that one of our comrades gone rogue, Shaky Mukoyi, has locked the party's head office on the guise of purportedly seeking medical assistance.
"It opened up an opportunity for those who have sold their souls to the regime who are advocating for the 2030 agenda within the party," said MDC.
The MDC added that it would reclaim the building from the youths.
"We will not give in to extortion and rapacity as the MDC assets belong to bona fide members and under the custodianship of the current leadership under the law.
"Thuggery and banditry are not an MDC culture and will never be since we have been victims of these since the Mugabe regime.
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"Lastly, let me reassure our members, members of the media, the diaspora, and all those who are concerned that within no time, we are taking our property back."
