The Zimbabwe National Army has denied involvement in the seizure of the MDC headquarters from the Nelson Chamisa led grouping saying the misinformation is only meant to divert public attention from challenges being faced by the labour backed movement.
In a statement, Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Spokesperson Overson Mugwisi said the army was only involved in enforcement of COVID-19 lockdown rules and not internal fights in the opposition movement.
“Allegations by the private media that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), accompanied by some youths, seized Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (MRT House), formerly Harvest House on 5 June 2020, are not true. The ZDF never deployed at MRT House. Current ZDF deployments are in support of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) operations of enforcing Covid-19 lockdown measures,” said Col Mugwisi.
“It is the work of political mischief makers to present online media footage of the ZRP in uniform conducting their duties as the ZDF. ZDF uniform is distinct. All the misinformation is trying to divert public attention from challenges facing their political parties. They should leave us out of their politics,” he added.
There are allegations that soldiers and police assaulted MDC Alliance security personnel when a rival group led by Thokozani Khupe seized the Morgan Tsvangirai House in the middle of the night, raising concern over the role of the state in the labour movement’s factional fights.
