Zanu PF youths stage Harare rampage

via Zanu PF youths stage Harare rampage New Zimbabwe 14/10/2014

A GROUP of rowdy Zanu PF youths in Southlea Park in Harare South on Monday went on the rampage beating up residents and shutting down tuckshops in a campaign that has been disowned by the ruling party.

A source who witnessed the incident said the youths, who were wielding sticks, then besieged a cabin which is being used as a bar and beat up the owner.

The youths were singing revolutionary songs and chanted Zanu PF party slogans. They then ordered all tuckshop owners and vegetable vendors in the area to close down their businesses.

“These Zanu PF youths came here and demanded that we close the bar saying their colleague had been ill-treated by the owner of the bar,” said a man who declined to be named.

“The bar owner then ran away to his house which is nearby but they pursued him and caught him at his house. They broke the windows of his cabin and began beating him up.

“They returned to the shops and forced every tuckshop to close. They also ordered everyone vending around that area to shut down.”

Zanu PF’s MP for the area, Shadreck Mashayamombe, apologised on behalf of the party for the fracas adding he was going to get to the bottom of the matter.

“I am very sorry for what you are saying is happening. It is unfortunate that I am in Bulawayo busy with the First Lady’s political meetings here in Matabeleland. But be that as it may I am right away going to call my lieutenants who are there and get the information,” said Mashayamombe in a telephone interview.

“We are going to inform our security department which will act on that. Those people are not being motivated by the party in their actions because there is no one who has a right to destroy anyone’s property or beat up anyone.