HARARE The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) last week suspended about seven party youth members who attacked the Director General, Toendepi Shonhe, and took away his car.The youth attacked Shonhe at the partys headquarters at Harvest House.
The MDC said in a statement that the youths had been suspended pending investigations. It said the abhorrent incident perpetrated by members of the MDC youth represented a gross violation of the founding principles of the party, and its dedication to non-violent, democratic struggle.
Freelance journalist Frank Chikowore told SW Radio that speculation was rife that the violent incident was a result of power struggles within the MDC, pitting supporters of Secretary General Tendai Biti against those who support President Morgan Tsvangirai ahead of the partys congress early next year.
An MDC member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the disturbances were as a result of power struggles. He accused Shonhe of paying MDC structures to vote for fresh ideas, and campaigning for Biti to take over from President Tsvangirai at the next congress.
He also complained that the party was losing direction and that its Standing Committee was filled with newcomers who did not rise up with the party, and therefore did not share the ideology of the MDC.
They are fighting for the agendas of power, and they dont know why the party was formed. It was formed to advocate for the workers and the poor and this is not happening, said the MDC member.
My understanding of the matter is that there are some youths who were against the way in which the MDC-T CEO Toendepi Shonhe was running the administration of the party. So they ended up assaulting him and confiscating a party vehicle that was allocated to him and they barred him from getting into the MDC headquarters, said Chikowore.
The journalist said the MDC Director of Security, Chris Dhlamini, tried to intervene but was also blocked from entering the party headquarters.
Chikowore said Dhlamini apparently called in some state agents to deal with the youth, but they too were allegedly assaulted by the irate youths.
Meanwhile, the MDC statement said: Irrespective of the claim by the youth that their actions were prompted by genuine grievances, the fact that they acted unilaterally by-passing the partys internal procedures and undertaking acts that violate the spirit of the MDC has resulted in unreserved condemnation and definitive action by the leadership.
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