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The youths accused Mr Gwaze, who works at the party offices, of being a spy for Zanu-PF.
Mr Gwaze had his vehicle damaged and tyres deflated after the youths spotted a Zanu-PF logo on a vehicle that he was driving.
According to sources at Harvest House, Mr Gwaze parked his vehicle at the party’s head office before proceeding to his office.
The youths, said the source, spotted a Zanu-PF logo on his vehicle and that incensed them. A scuffle ensued as the vehicle was then deflated and damaged, and Mr Gwaze was assaulted during the melee.
“Gwaze’s defence was that the car did not belong to him, but was a friend’s which he had just blindly taken without checking,” said another source.
Senior party officials were locked in a meeting for the better part of the day yesterday with Mr Gwaze to have an appreciation of what transpired.
Party director general Mr Toendepi Shonhe was said to be handling the matter and would make appropriate recommendations.
Mr Gwaze confirmed the ugly incident in a conversation with this reporter before being told that the story would be published.
“Yes, it happened, but I did not sustain serious injuries,” he said. “The injuries are mild. Right now ndiri mumeeting nemadhara. There was a misunderstanding with the youths, they then deflated all my tyres.”
When he was subsequently told that what he was saying was meant for an article for The Herald, Mr Gwaze angrily protested.
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“What has that to do with you,” he said, as he sought to withdraw what he had earlier said.
Party spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora said the assault of Mr Gwaze was regrettable.
“If it happened then it is regrettable,” he said. “I am in South Africa on some business and I have no knowledge on that. As a party we do not condone violence, no matter who commits it.”
The MDC-T has on several occasions been rocked by intra-party political violence, with senior party officials being caught up in the violence at the party head office in recent months.
The split that rocked the party in 2005 was characterised by fierce violence with officials opposed to party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai being haunted and assaulted by the youths.
Meanwhile, police have dismissed claims by PM Tsvangirai’s office that two of their staff members were arrested yesterday.
PM Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Mr Luke Tamborinyoka issued a statement claiming two members of staff in the PM’s communications department had been arrested and taken to Harare Central Police Station.
But national police spokesperson Assistant Charity Charamba said police had not arrested anyone.
“I can confirm that no one has been arrested,” she said.
Mr Tamborinyoka identified those he said were arrested as Spiwe Vera and Elizabeth Banda, who are reportedly caretakers in the PM’s communications office. He said lawyers were dispatched to Harare Central Police Station to attend to them.
Four people linked to MDC-T were denied bail by the magistrates courts on Wednesday. They are facing charges of impersonating the police, possessing articles for criminal use and breaching the Official Secrets Act.
Online Reporter