Presidential spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda says Chamisa was not injured while some party supporters suffered injuries when the police opened fire with live and rubber bullets when they attempted to disperse them.
Source: MDC: Zimbabwe Police Almost Gunned Down Chamisa in Marondera – VOA
WASHINGTON — The opposition Movement for Democratic Change claims that party leader Nelson Chamisa was on Sunday nearly gunned down by the police in Zimbabwe’s Marondera region, east of Harare, while he was planting trees at Dombodombo Clinic. MDC presidential spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda says Chamisa left the scene unhurt while some party supporters suffered injuries when the police opened fire with live and rubber bullets when they attempted to disperse them.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi dismissed these allegations as false, saying the police used teargas to disperse the MDC activists, who he said were holding an illegal gathering.
Nyathi said the MDC should have sought permission from the police to engage in tree planting as prescribed in the country’s security laws.
The newly-crafted Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, which replaced the dreaded Public Order and Security Act, clearly stipulates that senior police officers of every district are the regulating authority who can fix conditions under which public gatherings, demonstrations and processions can be held.
But Sibanda tells VOA Zimbabwe Service that there was no need for them to inform the police about the tree planting event, which resulted in the police opening fire on MDC activists.
COMMENTS
Typical Zimbabwe and Zanu PF, if in doubt shoot them.
Crazy, shooting at people for planting trees in that famous “garden suburb” of Marondera.
Anyone planting a tree in Dombotombo should be given a bravery medal, not a bullet.
The ZRP have gone mad and the reaction by ZRP Spokesperson Paul Nyathi is pure comedy…they should have sought our permission “to engage in tree planting”.
Perhaps that’s really why we no longer see many trees in Zimbabwe.
PS. Dombodombo sounds more descriptive and nicer to the ear but when I was at school in Amaveni High we used to spell it as Dombotombo.