Army rubbishes Harvest House take over claims
By Lloyd Takawira
Zimbabwe National Army has refuted allegations that it teamed up with the police force in assisting MDC T rival faction led by Thokozani Khupe take over Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House formerly Harvest house .
In a statement ZNA spokesperson, ZDF spokesperson Colonel Overson Mugwisi said that the army was not involved in the seizure of Harvest house and that the allegations were a concoction of mischievous media.
“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” ZDF spokesperson Colonel Overson Mugwisi said
He went on say, “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,” said Colonel Mugwisi.
In video footage shared by TechMag TV MDC Alliance Secretary General, Charlton Hwende is seen trying to negotiate with members of the police force who directed him to the Zimbabwe National Army officers.
In implicating the security forces MDC A spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere said, “At approximately 10pm on the 4th of June 2020, a truckload of armed soldiers and police officers assisted twenty youths to forcibly gain entry into the MDC Alliance Headquarters, Harvest House”
“The soldiers severely assaulted our security personnel who were manning the building. The youths locked themselves in the building, refusing to leave. The MDC-Alliance Secretary-General, Mr Chalton Hwende, immediately attended the scene and tried to make a police report. The Zimbabwe Republic Police refused to take the report and advised that he should speak to the soldiers who in turn denied the Secretary-General entry to the building.”
