The opposition Movement for Democratic Change faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai, having acknowledged that its local organization in Harare might have been infiltrated by ruling party agents-provocateurs, says it is moving to root out state moles.
Tsvangirai alleged iInfiltration of his faction's branch in the Harare suburb of Mabvuku in a news conference Wednesday in which he announced the findings of an internal investigation into the July 2 beating of a member of parliament for a rival faction.
Trudy Stevenson, member of parliament for Mutare North, sustained head and other injuries in the attack by alleged Tsvangirai faction youths; several other members of the MDC faction of Arthur Mutambara were also injured in the incident.
Faction Secretary General Tendai Biti on Thursday denied press reports Tsvangirai had dissolved the entire Mabvuku organization - but acknowledged serious infighting between backers and opponents of Mabvuku parliamentarian Timothy Mubhawu.
Biti says the investigation report was inconclusive as to whether Mubhawu, detained briefly by police in connection with the assault on Stevenson, had any connection with alleged ruling party infiltrators, or if in fact Mubhawu’s opponents had such links.
Reached for comment on the matter, Mubhawu declined to make a response.
Biti expanded on the report, released Thursday by Tsvangirai's faction, in an interview with reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe.