The MDC Alliance has dismissed media reports claiming that MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has taken over the party’s headquarters, Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House.
Mwonzora told State media on Monday that he had locked the offices and will only open them after the 21-day lockdown period is over.
However, MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Chairperson Tererai Obey Sithole said the report is fake news as the offices remain firmly under the party’s control. Sithole said:
The news that one Douglas Mwonzora has taken over our party HQ is fake and remains fake!!! I am at the HQ right now, having conversations with some members of the staff manning our offices during this #lockdown period. Stay calm, Nelson Chamisa is in charge!
Meanwhile, the MDC Alliance has issued a statement explaining its relationship with the MDC-T left behind by the late Morgan Tsvangirai. The statement read:
MDC Alliance Party was formed in 2018 following the collapse of initial agreement that MRT had signed with 7 other parties. Some parties like MDC-T pulled out and fielded their own candidates. The parties were supposed to use this symbol [consisting of all the logos of the 7 political parties] if the agreement had not collapsed.
Before the signed Alliance Agreement collapsed, the parties had agreed that each party in Parliament will appoint their own Chief Whip [Section 4.2.1.5]. Because the agreement collapsed and a new Party was formed today in Parliament, MDC Alliance has one Chief Whip.