Five Zimbabwe opposition officials were arrested on Friday following an altercation with the police as they tried to repossess their party’s headquarters in Harare from a rival faction.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance officials, who include former finance minister Tendai Biti, were arrested for alleged disorderly conduct after they demanded to be allowed into Harvest House in the central business district which had been occupied by officials from a rival faction.
The rival group led by Thokozani Khupe won a controversial Supreme Court case in March against MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa.
The court ruled that Khupe was the legitimate leader of the MDC-T, the party formerly led by the late Morgan Tsvangirai and ordered the holding of an elective congress to choose new office bearers.
It, however, disregarded the fact that the MDC-T and the MDC Alliance are different political parties, which separately contested the disputed 2018 general elections.
Khupe’s MDC-T failed to garner many votes in both the presidential and parliamentary vote while Chamisa narrowly lost to President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the presidential poll.
Khupe’s supporters have been holed up in Harvest House since Thursday night when they took occupancy of the building under the protection of the police.
The move prompted the standoff between the police and the MDC Alliance officials, with the latter insisting they are the rightful owners of the building.
JN/APA