By Douglas Mwonzora,James Gwati
Copyright zimeye
By a Correspondent – The Harare City Council has threatened to shut down Harvest House, the iconic headquarters of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), after the party failed to settle arrears exceeding US$50,000 in unpaid rent and municipal charges.
Harvest House, located in the heart of Harare’s central business district, has long been a symbol of opposition politics in Zimbabwe.
The building was seized by Douglas Mwonzora’s faction in 2020 after a bitter leadership wrangle that saw him controversially installed as MDC president following a Supreme Court ruling that nullified Nelson Chamisa’s leadership of the party.
Mwonzora’s takeover of Harvest House was marked by violent clashes between rival MDC factions, as he sought to consolidate his hold on the party’s assets.
However, since assuming control, Mwonzora’s faction has struggled to manage the property. Reports indicate that no meaningful rentals or municipal dues have been paid for years, with debts ballooning to unsustainable levels.
Insiders blame poor financial management, dwindling donor support, and massive defections from the party, which left the once-vibrant MDC without a clear funding base.
The latest development comes as the City of Harare intensifies its crackdown on institutions failing to honor their financial obligations.
Council officials confirmed that unless Mwonzora’s party clears the outstanding US$50,000 immediately, Harvest House will be closed and possibly auctioned to recover the debt.
Political analysts argue that the looming closure symbolizes the dramatic decline of the MDC, once Zimbabwe’s most formidable opposition party under the late Morgan Tsvangirai.
What was once a hub of democratic struggle risks being reduced to another derelict building in Harare’s skyline, a reflection of the party’s internal fractures and Mwonzora’s controversial leadership.
For Mwonzora, the possible loss of Harvest House would not only be a financial blow but also a devastating symbolic defeat, stripping him of the headquarters that gave his contested leadership a veneer of legitimacy.
