MDC-T youths continue besieging Chamisa's HQ

MDC-T youths who took control of Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House formerly Harvest House last week, are still on guard, sleeping inside the building.

According to MDC-T 2014 national youth secretary Happymore Chidziva, they are there to ensure "unprogressive elements" do not derail attempts to unite the party.

The youths last week vowed not to vacate the premises until factional presidents Nelson Chamisa and Thokozani Khupe, party chairperson Morgen Komichi and secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora sat down and ironed out their differences.

They also declared they will not leave until the party's leadership adheres to stipulated processes in the constitution and as per the Supreme Court ruling.

Some 88 members of the party's Youth Assembly 2014 structures led by Harare province chairperson Paul Gorekore allegedly walked into Harvest House last week, locked doors, and shut windows before announcing they were now in charge of the building until their demands were met.

Gorekore is also head of security at the headquarters and had for some time seemed to be doing the bidding for Mwonzora until last week's attempt in roping Chamisa in a negotiated agreement that might unite the MDC factions since the passing on of founder leader Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2018.

"We realised we could not continue acting dumb and deaf while the party was slowly disintegrating hence the decision to cast away our differences and unite to defend our party as per founding president Morgan Tsvangirai's advice," said Chidziva.

"The youths just want to see the party returning to its founding principles and values, with all Zanu-PF elements flushed out. People should actually not fear anything, we are not going to be violent on anyone be it the public of internally.

"The decision to sleep inside Harvest House to stop unprogressive elements who want to fight unification of our party, people who do not want to see a strong opposition in this country," Chidziva told NewZimbabwe.com.

"We have enough of everything, food, water, and solidarity from senior party members who have all come behind our just cause."

Gorekore last week told reporters they besieged the building for a good cause of the party.

"These are internal issues that are supposed to be dealt with in this house. We are not afraid, we are standing for a good cause, my executive and I are very clear that we will keep on in this struggle," he said.