It all started with a misunderstanding over US$1 per night storage fees at Mbare Msika, which the MDC-T supporters felt was unnecessary and extortionate.
And what they thought was the end of their problems turned out to be an even more harrowing experience at the hands of the police.Paul Majarira (24), a vendor in Mbare who doubles up as an overnight guard at the MDC-T’s Mbare offices, is among those who were admitted in hospital after he was wounded on the head.
“I was hit with a stone as I tried to close the office door,” he said.
“My colleagues and I had been hiding in the office since the arrival of some Zanu PF youths a few minutes earlier.
“They threw stones at us and we ran into the office but they continued stoning the building hence my decision to close the door, getting wounded in the process.”
Majarira said the youths had earlier attacked them at a flea market. “It all started when a certain man who calls himself ‘Captain’ got two stands at the market,” he said.
“He built what he called a cloakroom and wanted us to store our wares for US$1 per night. We refused, prompting him to send some youths whom he gave stands at an undesignated area near the toilets to loot our stuff.
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“That was when we decided to store our goods at the party offices everyday after business but they also followed us there.”
Majarira and other victims said the police arrived and drove them to a police station where they were detained over night.
“We got into their car and they drove away with us, ending up at their Mbare station, although they had earlier said they were taking us to Harare Central,” 22-year-old Kudakwashe Usai said.
“We were puzzled when, on arrival at the station, they ordered us to remove our shoes.
“All seven of us were still nursing various wounds suffered during the attacks but the police, who had told us they were protecting us, would not allow us to go for treatment.”
The seven, including Mbare councillor Paul Gorekore, on Wednesday appeared in court facing public violence charges. They were remanded out of custody to February 17.
