Mudzuri Storms MDC-T HQ in Bid to Topple Mwonzora

By Newzimbabwe

A dramatic leadership brawl rocked the MDC-T party this morning as Vice President Elias Mudzuri, backed by fellow veteran Morgen Komichi, attempted a forceful takeover of Harvest House, the party’s iconic headquarters in Harare.

The audacious move follows a February 2025 High Court ruling by Justice Happias Zhou, which ordered embattled MDC-T president Douglas Mwonzora to step down and convene a fresh congress within six months.

The court found serious irregularities in the 2022 Extraordinary Congress that had handed Mwonzora the presidency.

Citing the judgment, Mudzuri declared himself acting party leader by virtue of his vice-presidential role and made a bold appearance at Harvest House flanked by a sizeable entourage.

But his path was violently blocked by militant youths loyal to Mwonzora, sparking scuffles that prompted a swift police deployment to prevent an all-out clash.

The standoff escalated when Mudzuri allegedly issued an ultimatum for Mwonzora’s supporters to vacate the premises.

ALSO READ: MK Party Gives Ramaphosa Friday Deadline in Mandela’s Name

In response, riot police arrived in truckloads, creating chaos in downtown Harare.

Mudzuri briefly vanished before returning to claim he had sought a police escort at Harare Central Police Station to “legally” assume control of the building.

“Mwonzora is no longer the President, as per the High Court ruling. There’s a leadership vacuum that needs to be filled,” said one of Mudzuri’s security personnel, speaking on condition of anonymity.

But Albert Chidhakwa, the MDC National Youth Chairperson and commander of Mwonzora’s loyal youth faction, dismissed the takeover attempt, insisting that the court ruling is currently on appeal.

“The party has appealed Justice Zhou’s ruling. Mudzuri cannot act on it the appeal process makes it ineffective. President Mwonzora is still in charge,” Chidhakwa told reporters.

As NewZimbabwe reported, the power struggle at Harvest House is just the latest chapter in the party’s internal wars.

The headquarters has become symbolic turf in the factional battles that have plagued MDC-T since the 2020 Supreme Court ruling that nullified Nelson Chamisa’s leadership following Morgan Tsvangirai’s death in 2018.

Mwonzora, who rose to power after that ruling, has seen his support dwindle, with many top lieutenants defecting to Chamisa’s Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), formed in 2022.

MDC-T notably sat out the 2023 elections, citing disputed delimitation boundaries a move critics say accelerated the party’s decline.

With tension boiling over and the leadership question unresolved, Harvest House remains both a political fortress and a battleground.