THE Deputy Sheriff yesterday raided MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s residence in Highlands and the party headquarters in central Harare, but failed to attach any property.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
The Deputy Sheriff left both properties empty-handed after the MDC-T produced a court order staying the execution.
The MDC-T reportedly terminated contracts of 13 security aides in August 2010 before the Labour Court reversed the decision and ordered the party to reinstate them with full benefits.
Judge Justice Priscilla Chigumba ordered the party to pay 5% interest on the varying amounts awarded to the employees in addition to the legal costs.
According to MDC-T officials, the Deputy Sheriff has previously tried to attach Tsvangirai’s Strathaven house as well as 62 cars belonging to the party, but failed after party secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora obtained an order for stay of execution.
Speaking to NewsDay after the foiled raid, Mwonzora said the “debt collectors representing the employees had not realised that there is an order for stay of execution”.
“They did not seem to know the existence of this order and when we showed them, everything stopped. We got the order in May this year and it stopped execution until the appeal is heard,” Mwonzora said.
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Mwonzora indicated that the workers were “demanding $500 000” from the party, adding that Tsvangirai was not personally involved in the matter.
Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka in a statement said the incident seemed to point to a sinister agenda to soil his boss’ image.
“Two truckloads of armed riot police and State media journalists today accompanied the Messenger of Court in a cheap, well-choreographed drama ostensibly to embarrass president Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change,” Tamborinyoka said.
“The Messenger of Court initially wanted to attach property at president Tsvangirai’s Highlands home before proceeding to Harvest House where he said he wanted to attach the party property as well.
“He (Deputy Sheriff identified as Madhega) said they wanted to attach the property in favour of former party employees who had taken the party to court in a labour issue.”
Tamborinyoka argued that Tsvangirai had never been party to the labour dispute in his personal capacity.
“Curiously, the Messenger of Court wanted to attach president Tsvangirai’s property at his Highlands home when the party leader was never part of the dispute,” he said.
“However, the well-choreographed team of the Messenger of Court, journalists and armed riot police moved from Highlands to Harvest House, where the president was having his meetings.
“Upon arrival, the Messenger of Court, with his retinue of riot police in tow, was shown a court order in which the party had successfully won a stay of execution on the matter.”
Tamborinyoka added: “The Messenger of Court, the riot police and the State media journalists left Harvest House with their tails firmly tucked between their legs when the plot to tarnish president Tsvangirai and the party leadership dismally collapsed like a deck of cards.”
