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Freeman Razemba Senior Reporter
THE Professor Welshman Ncube-led  MDC yesterday said it had not collapsed, but confirmed having closed some of its offices in three provinces to look for bigger ones. The offices which have been closed are in Masvingo, Chinhoyi in Mashonaland West and Bindura in Mashonaland Central. There were media reports that MDC had collapsed amid revelations that it had closed its provincial offices in almost all provinces, including Bulawayo with the party’s youth wing roundly criticising the leadership for going into hibernation.

Party insiders said Prof Ncube had gone into hiding since his defeat to Zanu-PF in the July 31 harmonised elections. The MDC is a splinter of the main MDC over participation in Senate elections in 2005.

MDC deputy spokesperson Mr Kurauone Chihwayi yesterday said the party and the leadership were still there.
“The party is still intact and vibrant and most of our offices in Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Midlands are still open and functional. But we have closed offices in Mashonaland West, Masvingo and Mashonaland Central because they were small. We are looking for bigger offices in the same areas,” he said.

Mr Chihwayi said Prof Ncube was not hiding and that the party was reorganising itself for the next political processes.
“He is not hiding and the president is still in control of the party. We are prepared to co-operate with you (the media). Our phones are still open to provide you with any information you want,” he said.

Mr Chihwayi said Mr Ntando Ndlovu who was recently quoted confirming the alleged collapse had resigned from the party as the MDC provincial youth secretary assembly for Bulawayo.

He said Mr Ndlovu was not even a national executive member and the information he provided to the media was incorrect.
“The person quoted is not an MDC member. He resigned and was the provincial youth secretary assembly for Bulawayo,” he said.
Mr Chihwayi said Mr Ndlovu resigned from the party last month and had tendered his resignation letter to the party’s Bulawayo provincial secretary.