Chamisa loses grip on MRTH ……as MDC-A agrees to participate at congress

by Christopher Makaza

Last night, MDC-T youths managed to gain entrance into Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (MRTH) as the dogfight for control of the building that houses the distressed opposition party`s offices continues.

Fight for the control of MRTH followed a Supreme Court judgment on March 30 this year, which ruled that Nelson Chamisa was an illegitimate president of the MDC and appointed Thokozani Khupe, the Acting President until an extraordinary congress was convened.

On that note, MDC-T Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora yesterday wrote a letter addressed to all members of the National Council in all the country’s provinces, advising them that Chamisa had agreed to peacefully handover MRTH to the MDC-T.

“The party wishes to advise that following the communication sent by the Acting President Dr T Khupe to Advocate N Chamisa, the latter has today through party officials allowed for a peaceful handover takeover control of the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (Harvest House). We are grateful for this display of cooperation henceforth, all meetings will be held at Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House,” reads part of the letter which has gone viral on social media.

On another note, MDC-Alliance Secretary General, Chalton Hwende, informed that a National Standing Committee meeting held recently by the Chamisa faction resolved to participate in the forthcoming MDC-T congress likely to be held end of July. The move, according to Hwende, was motivated by pressure from the international community for them to respect constitutionalism as ruled by the Supreme Court.

Hwende, however said the MDC-A was first, going to conduct surveys in their party structures to assess Chamisa`s support before they fully commit themselves to participate in the congress to avoid an embarrassing defeat.

Hwende further revealed that if Chamisa wins at the congress, they will then adopt a resolution to rope in Alliance partners like MDC-A deputies Tendai Biti and Welshmen Ncube as members of the MDC-T family.

The Supreme Court ruling that declared Dr Khupe, the interim leader of the opposition, ordered the party to go back to the 2014 structure before calling for a congress within 90 days.