MDC Alliance vice presidents Tendai Biti and Lynnette Karenyi-Kore and several other party leaders have been arrested for trying to gain access into the party headquarters. Also arrested are party deputy secretary general David Chimhini, national standing committee member Lovemore Chinoputsa and secretary for international relations Gladys Hlatywayo.
The arrest came minutes after the party youth had tried to get into Harvest House hours after a midnight “takeover” by the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T, with the aid of the army and police.
Biti and his team arrived saying they wanted to access their offices as they were the rightful owners of the party headquarters, but the police officers on the ground refused to attend to them, directing them to their superiors at the Harare Central police station.
MDC Alliance Vice Presidents BitiTendai, Lynette Karenyi and other party senior leaders arrested for trying to gain access to their offices at Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House.
After attempts to access Harvest House were thwarted, the MDC Alliance officials started singing and an order was made for them to be arrested.
But not before an angry Chinoputsa took time to accuse the police of pursuing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s agenda of destroying the MDC Alliance by working with Khupe and the MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora.
“Shame on you Emmerson and all you who are being used by him. Shame on you. This all will end in a new Zimbabwe. This will all stop,” he said as he was being bundled into a police truck.
In an earlier interview, Biti told journalists that the real fight was between the MDC Alliance and Mnangagwa, describing Mwonzora and Khupe as mere “enablers”.
Armed soldiers and police last night assisted the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T in taking over the party headquarters, Morgan Tsvangirai house, as the battle for the control of the opposition party rages.
