Mukoyi Blames Mwonzora For MDC’s Decline

MDC activist Shakespeare Mukoyi, the party’s Secretary for Defence, has blamed leader Douglas Mwonzora for weakening the party, once a major force in Zimbabwean politics.

Mukoyi said Mwonzora has turned the opposition into a “pale shadow” of the party it was under the late Morgan Tsvangirai.

Speaking after taking control of the MDC headquarters, the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai building, popularly known as Harvest House, on Wednesday, Mukoyi said it was his duty to defend the MDC from both internal and external adversaries. Said Mukoyi:

“In the history of the MDC, even in the hostile areas, never had a day it got a zero on a polling station, let alone in a ward. So it gives us cause for concern as members of the security team.

“Currently, I am holding the position of secretary for defence. It is my obligation and powers invested in my office to make sure that I defend this movement from internal adversaries to external adversaries.”

Mukoyi has accused Mwonzora of financial mismanagement, failing to pay workers, and other internal issues. He also urged other political parties to stay out of MDC’s internal affairs.

Meanwhile, another party official, Norest Marara, has claimed that Mwonzora has been illegally collecting rental payments from tenants at the party headquarters.

Marara said Mwonzora is acting like a landlord, turning Morgan Tsvangirai House into something resembling an estate agency.

Marara added that there is currently no water or electricity at the headquarters and that workers have not been paid, despite the party’s roots in the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).

He said that while the opposition faced a setback with the passing of Tsvangirai, the recent actions by the party’s security team signal a period of revival. Said Marara:

“The opposition was buried in Buhera with Tsvangirai, but what has happened today is bringing the party back to life.”

Marara made his remarks during an interview on ZiFM Stereo’s Current Affairs show, The Platform, hosted by Khaya Moyo.

The MDC has faced serious internal challenges since 2020, when Mwonzora’s faction took control of Harvest House from the MDC Alliance, which was then led by Nelson Chamisa.