While their foot soldiers fought bloody physical battles in the townships, Zanu PF and MDC-T politicians last week sat on the same table engaging in peaceful discussions.
The occasion was a public debate over whether or not public officials should declare their assets.
Zanu PF’s Goodson Nguni made stunning accusations, claiming the MDC-T headquarters, Harvest House in central Harare is the property of Ian Makone, the party’s director for elections.
Makone is also Chief secretary to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
The MDC-T has used its headquarters as a refuge for victims of political violence and this is one issue that the Zanu PF representative questioned.
These political parties should tell us whether the safe houses they put displaced people are owned by political parties or individuals,” Nguni said.
“Zanu PF owns its headquarters in Rotten Row and it is registered as such. We want to know whether Harvest House is registered in the name of the MDC. It is known and is very possible that it is owned by Ian Makone. We really want to know who owns Harvest House,” he said.
MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa laughed off the allegations saying his party was the “proud” owner of Harvest House and that Zanu PF intelligence agents had “misfired”.
We own that building as MDC-T and we are proud owners of the Harvest House,” Chamisa said. “Your intelligence gave you wrong information.”
Nguni said the MDC-T’s declaration of assets was meant to be a political stunt against Zanu PF.
“The declaration was not total and correct. It was a tool against Zanu PF,” Nguni said.
Nguni also said MDC-T was receiving funding from the West and acting at the behest of these countries.
Chamisa replied: “Because we have a clear mind, a clear scope of thinking, Zanu PF thinks we are white driven. Zanu PF has a second class mentality of not thinking properly.
“Zanu PF did not fight for this country. Our grandfathers, fathers and mothers fought for this country and paid dearly and it was not a private limited company. Transparency is important in all we do. In the MDC-T we have an open palm slogan which means we are open to scrutiny and invite people to come and scrutinise us. Zanu PF has a clenched fist so that we don’t ask where you got your loot from.”
