AT least 20 MDC-T youths in Harare were seriously injured on Sunday after a group of suspected Zanu PF youths stormed a campaign rally in Kambuzuma and indiscriminately assaulted them.
Source: Zanu PF youths storm MDC-T rally, several injured – NewsDay Zimbabwe August 2, 2016
BY OBEY MANAYITI
MDC-T provincial youth secretary Denford Ngadziore said 10 party supporters were hospitalised following the attacks, which came shortly after the opposition youths had threatened to launch a series of anti-government demonstrations this month.
He said before violence broke out, Zanu PF youths had made several attempts to disrupt the rally.
“After the MDC-T youths had managed to defend themselves, the Zanu PF youths, who were bussed from areas such as Kuwadzana, Chitungwiza, Machipisa and Mbare, came and indiscriminately assaulted people coming from the rally,” Ngadziore said.
“Twenty people were injured, eight were hospitalised and two of them are in a critical condition. What surprised us is that the police did nothing to contain the situation despite their heavy presence in the area.” He added that they would not retreat despite the violence.
National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday said she was unaware of the incident.
MDC-T national spokesperson Obert Gutu accused Zanu PF of resorting to violence when it cannot keep up with political competition.
“The MDC-T condemns in the strongest terms these acts of wanton violence and thuggery that were unleashed on our innocent and peace-loving party cadres by some Zanu PF thugs and hoodlums in Kambuzuma on Sunday afternoon,” Gutu said.
Contacted for comment, Zanu PF Harare provincial youth chair Edson Takataka denied the charges and accused MDC-T supporters of launching an unprovoked attack on Zanu PF supporters.
“They are mad people. Instead of concentrating on their rally, those MDC-T people went on to loot several tuckshops and they also assaulted people, including children,” Takataka said.
“They did that twice, but our people didn’t fight back. I even went to the police to complain about MDC-T supporters’ behaviour. I want to give those people a strong warning that if they think they can fight us, then we will deal with them.”
COMMENTS
It surprises me that journalists still keep approaching Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba for comment on anything. It suggests to me that they are incapable of learning.
I am equally surprised that the media people bother to contact Charity Charamba. But I guess they have to follow protocol and give her the opportunity to deny as always.
I am equally surprised by the PF spokesperson who say MDC-T attacked PF supporters. What were the PF supporters doing at an MDC-T rally? Their presence there was clearly to disrupt and provoke. PF not only destroyed the economy and people livelihoods, they destroy lives too…they are unrepentant killers.
They learned from their thug fathers. That’s the only reaction they know… but that does not excuse them or remove their accountability.
ZANU PF, is not in Zimbabwe for development,but is total there for destruction ,self enrichment and killing anyone who does not obey their devil father-RG Mugabe.
Guys ngatisarohwa takatarisa. Tsvaru ngaadane tivu. If it means blood, lets follow these zanu pf thugs kumba kwavo then sunga door wopisa zvose iye, mudzimai nevana vafiremo. Pavanenge vaungana vachiita matorture camps, let us infiltrate those camps and put rat poison into their food. Let us also be brutal to the fullest extent.