via Police watch as ZANU PF youths destroy Masowe shrine | SW Radio Africa by Mthulisi Mathuthu on Tuesday, June 3, 2014
The selective application of the law was apparent this week. Members of the Johane Masowe church were being hauled to court for beating police officers, while officers watched as ZANU PF youths destroyed the church’s shrine.
As three members of the Masowe sect were being remanded in custody Monday about 100 youths raided the church’s shrine where they destroyed all the artifacts they found on the site in retaliation of the bashing of the police and state journalists by worshippers last week.
The police watched as the marauding youths ransacked the site and destroyed everything, including the shepherd staffs which were used in the fight with the police last Friday. ZANU PF provincial youth Chairperson Godwin Gomwe said beating the police was akin to beating President Mugabe himself. Gowme claimed that the ZRP was ‘set up’ by his party and the officers were therefore ZANU PF.
The fight between the police and the worshippers happened when the President of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe, Johannes Ndanga, told hundreds of the sect members at their holy shrine that he had banned the church for abuse of women and girls. He was in the company of 20 anti-riot police.
But by Tuesday none of the youths who raided the Budiriro-based shrine had been nabbed for violent behavior. Instead 24 more members of the Masowe sect appeared in court under heavy anti-riot police guard.
SW Radio Africa correspondent Simon Muchemwa said in remanding the 24 in custody the magistrate said their lives were in danger following the violence occurring in Budiriro where they come from.
Muchemwa said some of the members of the Masowe sect told the court that they were heavily assaulted while in police custody with some of them barely able to walk. The magistrate ordered that they have medical treatment.
But the issue of the Masowe sect has caused moral discomfort in the country where instead of condemning the church’s alleged violation of the rights of women and children the public chose to celebrate the beating of the police.
Among some of the allegations against the church are forced marriages, virginity testing and a range of other rules which include a ban on seeking medical attention for sick babies.
Observers have said the public’s reaction was unfortunate, but it underlined the extent of state repression against civilians. They said when a state is seen as the chief purveyor of violence, this was bound to happen.
COMMENTS
I have to say that there is pandemonium within the ranks of the Devil. The Police all of a sudden are worried about child abuse. I have no qualms about this sect . Neither have I any qualms about the Police. I hate to say this but I am pleased that this is happening only because when the money and the illegal exchange was happening these people were dealing in illegal activities with Gono and co. They were spinning our hard earned cash and assisted Gono in making it valueless. The Police I have no sympathy for. They will continue to reap what they sow. They will one day try to seek the assistance of the masses to protect them. Alas they will find no holes to crawl into. My only regret is that a lot of people won’t be able to follow this closely because we are losing Zim sit. I urge all my brothers PUT IN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ON THESE LAST DEBATES. IT IS NOT YET FAREWELL UNTIL THE 7th.
@doctor, I understand the site will no longer be closing after corresponding with the current curators, maybe the admins should put a notice to that effect.
I do not see the7 the notice anymore.
Back to the story,the police are using these misguided youth to do their dirty work. I call upon parents and guardian s to protect their children from being used by these Zanu devils as instruments of terror. Ngozi dzopinda mumusha.
The youth refuse to be used,there is a better Zimbabwe after ZANU. ZANU looks upon you as their idiots.
Its a treasonous party.
ZANU is selling the nation.
Roving are you serious?
This magistrate is sick minded, how can order those beaten to sick medical attention. You should have ordered investigation and arrests of the police officers. Justice system in Zimbabwe is a big fat joke.
THEY VOTED FOR THE DEVIL!
Mr Editor muri kurasika papi??? Was there any investigation to confirm abuse is taking place in the church? Even if it were what was the point of bringing riot police. A complaint was supposed to be lodged and an arrest made.It shows this guy used his connections to get riot to intimidate these people. Was there a warrant of arrest? While I don’t support the idea of beating up the police, they themselves got it wrong in the first place.
The police think are a corrupt lot who are misusing their position as the law enforcing agent and corruptly apply themselves.I don’t think we still have a professional police force. All we have are ZANU PF youths dressed in Police regalia. Their approach is so partisan and corrupt. Therefore anybody masquerading as police officers yet being a party youth deserved more than a beating.
Bvisai chiZANU in the Police and make a professional force than what it is today, then we will not see this kind of a reaction. Vanhu vaneta hence the celebration. They abuse people left, right and centre. Society have generally lost respect of a force that does not serve the interest of the people but individuals in the elite club.
This is just the beginning. More is yet to come. 99% of those in the Police Force if not 100% were recommended to join the Police force from ZANU PF Political ARMS in the various districts across the country. ZANUfication of government institutions also has it’s repercussions, and here is one of them.
The riot police’s image as a ruthless and indomitable force was rudely exposed as a myth hence the anger and mindless retaliation. Madzibaba lifted your skirt up. The reaction is meant to put out any ideas that people might have and remind us that no one can mess with the ZRP. However we know differently, this regime and all it built is crumbling in proportion to Mugabe’s deteriorating health. People have seen it for what it is now a heartless yet spineless , harmless regime that uses a facade to intimidate people.
the action by mapositori should have been the beginning of mass uprising. The Arab spring was started by the young Tunisian who protested by setting himself alight.Its quite suprising how the majority of Zimbabweans actually expect a few dozen mapositori to overthrow the evil gvt. The massses should have used the incident as the proverbial ignitor to overun all police stations.Now you know, zizi harina nyanga
Rather funny though that we should unreservedly celebrate the lashing of a police force on a well-meaning mission. Rather than take this as a message from the people, we should expect savage and exemplary retribution by a reptilian regime run by self-serving psychos who know nothing about decorum and PR.
Hey hey mashona yini elavotela uMugabe tshayanani lodwa lingasifakiendabeni zenu. Batshaye robert abalangqondo!
It started at Chingwizi Camp in Masvingo where ‘ministers’ were booed. Now in Budiriro. Kusiri kufa ndekupi.
Well all i can say is this is starting shape up very similar to the Romanian regime collapse. It started with FATHER Laszlo Tokes speaking out publicly against Ceausescu in the town of Timisoara. Backed by thousands, the riot police arrived to try and remove Tokes and disperse the crowd. A noisy, and at times bloody, battle ensued in the streets!!!! This happened on Dec 15th 1989. By Dec 25th Ceausescu and his wife were no longer and from that point on life in Romania only got better and the country’s fortunes were turned around. imagine if this incident is the beginning of Zimbabwe’s change of fortunes. I have always said the end of this period would end the same way because of the similarities in the situation and the personalities.
Muchati “BABA” nemuridzo
If Malawi ‘s peaceful citizenship can protest violently, what stops the very very docile Zimbabweans from demonstrating. Remember vapostori are now a big vote and Zanu relies on them.
This has nothing to with ZANU Youths,one hopes the Authorities will see reason and bring these Hooligans to their senses.Its now clear what is happening here,this Ndanga person couldn’t get his way in Church because he is aligned to ZANU reigned in his Comrades for help,thats why Police went there not to investigate allegations but to bash up the Congregants,they failed now they send the Youth to do their dirty work,now two wrongs don’t make a right,in Zim it does if you are ZANU and you not happy you turn violent