‘Police on crusade to disrupt MDC rallies’

The accusation comes after the police disrupted several rallies countrywide organised by the former opposition party in the past few weeks. In some cases, MDC-T supporters have been arrested.

Yesterday, heavily armed police disrupted a rally organised by the party at Matizha Business Centre in Gutu West, claiming that the venue had also been booked by Chief Serima.

MDC-T provincial secretary, Tongai Matutu, said two truckloads of armed police from Gutu Mpandawana growth point and Chatsworth police station, stormed the venue in the morning and dispersed party supporters, thereby blocking the scheduled rally.

The MDC-T provincial executive was billed to address the people at the rally, which the police had sanctioned.

The incident comes barely a week after police disrupted another MDC-T rally in Harare’s Kambuzuma suburb.

“This action clearly shows that the police have embarked on a crusade aimed at disrupting peaceful MDC rallies across the country. The police and Zanu PF want to systematically isolate the MDC from its millions of supporters,” said the MDC-T in a statement.

However, provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tinaye Matake professed ignorance over the disruption in Masvingo, saying he was out of office. He promised to call back but never did.

Keep Reading

• Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
• Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
• Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
• Councils defy govt fire tender directive

In Kambuzuma, police later arrested two MDC-T activists accusing them of assaulting police officers. The MDC-T said it found it strange that the police had not arrested “known Zanu PF thugs and miscreants”, who waged a reign of terror against MDC members in Harare’s Highfield suburb two weeks ago, but targeted innocent party activists.

Efforts to get a comment from police spokesperson senior assistant commissioner, Wayne Bvudzijena, were fruitless yesterday.

MDC-T officials claim nasty history with chief Serima

MDC-T provincial spokesperson, Harrison Mudzuri, said the police had earlier on approved the rally in Gutu but told them at the last minute that the venue had been double-booked.

Chief Serima, born Vengesai Rushwaya, could not be reached for a comment.

The MDC-T has in the past, clashed with the chief at the same venue.

Matutu, who is also the Deputy Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment minister, was last year fined US$100 or 25 days in prison by a senior Masvingo magistrate for assaulting Chief Serima.

The party accuses Serima of being an appendage of Zanu PF.