Biti’s home burnt down in arson attack

FORMER Finance minister and opposition PDP leader Tendai Biti’s rural Murehwa homestead was on Sunday night gutted by fire in a suspected arson attack.

Source: Biti’s home burnt down in arson attack – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 22, 2017

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Property worth an undisclosed amount was destroyed.

The outspoken former MDC-T legislator for Harare East could not be readily contacted for details yesterday morning, but PDP secretary-general Godern Moyo confirmed the incident in an internal communication to party members.

“Please note that the rural homestead of president Biti in Murewa was burnt down on Sunday evening by some people yet to be identified,” he said.

“Everything was destroyed. We only thank God no one was injured.

“We condemn in strongest terms the perpetrators of this malicious destruction of property. We hope police will do their work and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

In a statement, the party said: “As the People’s Democratic Party, we strongly suspect that political thugs in Zanu PF are behind the attack.

“The arson attack comes less than a week after president Biti warned (he would give) Zanu PF and its president, Robert Mugabe, a run for their money.

“There have also been threats to president Biti in recent years. While serving as the Finance minister during the inclusive government period, president Biti received a live bullet wrapped in an envelope.

“However, despite these attempts on the life of the PDP leader, president Biti and the entire PDP family remain unshaken and resolute as we prepare for the watershed 2018 elections.”

This is not the first time Biti has been targeted in similar attacks in his political life.

At around the same time in February 2014, the firebrand politician and lawyer, who was then MDC-T secretary-general, had his Umwinsdale home on the outskirts of Harare petrol-bombed by unknown assailants during the night.

The Molotov cocktail struck a pillar, leaving it smoke-stained.

Again, when he was still Finance minister in 2011, his Chisipite house in the capital was also petrol-bombed.