Another MDC-T official assaulted at Harvest House

Another MDC-T official was allegedly assaulted by her colleagues at the party's headquarters at Harvest House in Harare on Tuesday and had to hide in a toilet in the building to escape the mob.

MDC-T Harare North youth secretary for information Ms Angela Hwanyanya was allegedly attacked less than a month after other more senior officials were set upon by drunk party goons, the Herald reported.

Police yesterday said Ms Hwanyanya was struck several times on the head and suffered injuries to one eye and to the forehead.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said investigations were in progress.

She said the assault occurred at Harvest House during a party provincial meeting when MDC-T thugs accused Ms Hwanyanya of belonging to a faction pushing for Mr Morgan Tsvangirai's ouster from the helm of the party.

"MDC-T Harare North district organising secretary Mr Partson Makore allegedly charged towards the complainant, shouting obscene language before assaulting her on the face and forehead, resulting in a swollen eye and forehead," she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said Ms Hwanyanya sought refuge in a toilet before she managed to escape and make a police report.

She warned that all perpetrators of violence would be dealt with accordingly.

Last month, MDC-T deputy treasurer-general Mr Elton Mangoma and youth assembly national secretary general Mr Promise Mkwananzi, were assaulted outside Harvest House while Mr Tsvangirai looked on.

This was after Mr Mangoma called for leadership renewal seeing as Mr Tsvangirai had failed to lead MDC-T to victory against Zanu-PF and President Mugabe in the 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2013 elections.

Mr Mangoma has since been suspended as Mr Tsvangirai and his loyalists conduct a purge of the party ranks.

Party secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti fled the thugs the same day Mr Mangoma was attacked by scurrying into Mr Tsvangirai's car, while another youth leader – Mr Solomon Madzore – found refuge in Harvest House.

MDC-T policy chief and Bulawayo South National Assembly representative Mr Eddie Cross this week said the MDC-T faced imminent collapse due to a total breakdown of relations in the standing committee and the use of violence against dissenting opinion.

He also told The Herald this past week, "The international community has stopped supporting the political reform process. The loss of faith in Morgan Tsvangirai is recent. They are unhappy with violence in the MDC and there is no reaction to curb it."

In a February 5, 2014 report that MDC-T's leadership is not keen to make public, the party's guardian council – comprising Mrs Sekai Holland, Dr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, Mr James Makore and Mr Cephas Makuyana – said violence could lead to a split of 2005 proportions.

The MDC-T split on October 12, 2005 when Mr Tsvangirai overturned a majority executive decision to participate in that year's Senate elections. This saw Mr Gibson Sibanda (vice president) Professor Welshman Ncube (secretary-general) and other senior officials breaking ranks with Mr Tsvangirai saying they could not function well with his dictatorial inclinations.

That split was characterised by much violence.

Interestingly, the guardian council's warning came exactly 10 days before Mr Mangoma and Mr Mkwananzi were assaulted.