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Police alliance with Zanu PF a major source of threats to the people
of Zimbabwe
Movement for Democratic Change
February 09, 2011
Today's
Herald publication of what senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena
says is a comprehensive report on recent cases of public violence
in Zimbabwe clearly vindicates the MDC's position that the
police, in alliance with Zanu PF, have the potential to pose a fresh,
major threat to freedom in Zimbabwe.
Throughout the
report, widely published in Harare newspapers today, Bvudzijena
selectively cites innocuous cases of misunderstandings among citizens
while ignoring clear facts and evidence of Zanu PF attacks on MDC
activists in throughout the country.
Budzijena ignores
glaring and open incidents where Zanu PF, acting in complicity with
the police, deliberately fanned violence by allowing state-sponsored
hooligans to cause chaos and mayhem in the full view of the public.
The latest incident took place on Monday when police in Harare openly
accompanied Zanu PF youths as they looted and damaged shops with
impunity.
The record is
clear. Bvudzijena has voluntarily come out and ignored the following
incidents in a foolish attempt to cover up for Zanu PF and certain
rogue elements in the state security establishment:
- On 2 January,
a group of people clad in military uniform assaulted innocent
people at Mupandawana Growth Point in Gutu, injuring several dozens
for unclear reasons. Apart from this incident having taken place
in a public place, the case was reported to the police but Bvudzijena
insists that no such harassment took place.
- On 8 January,
one Major Toperesu abducted Elson Mutonhori, the MDC secretary
for Masvingo South and abducted and assaulted him for being a
member of the MDC. Police officers at Renco Mine refused to open
a docket, claiming the issue was political - whatever that means.
- Budzijena
further turns a blind eye to numerous instances of intimidation
organised and executed by self-styled war veteran Jabulani Sibanda
while on a political safari in Masvingo and the Midlands throughout
January.
- Closer
to Budzijena's office, on 22 January William Mukuwari of
Budiriro 5 was taken into a Harare hospital after being shot in
the leg by a Zanu PF zealot, Godfrey Gomwe. Mukuwari's story
and irrefutable photographic evidence were widely published in
the local media but Budzijena pretends that this never happened.
On the same day, Barnabas Mwanaka of Mbare; Gift Nengomasha of
Chitungwiza together with his family and lodgers were brutally
attacked at their home. Likewise, the police refused to open dockets,
saying they were under orders and instructions to ignore MDC complaints.
- It seems
Bvudzijena wants the nation and Harare in particular, to join
him in ignoring the closure of Town House in January and the unprovoked
attacks on council workers by Zanu PF zealots while the police
watched from a distance. Among those caught in the fray was Tsaurai
Marima, an MDC official, and several clerical workers at Town
House. No arrests were made.
- As January
drew to a close, the flat of Mbare ward 3 councillor, Paul Gorekore
was set ablaze by Zanu PF youths. After the attack at Tagarika
Flats, police unashamedly arrested Gorekore, Kudakwashe Usavi,
Barnabas Mwanaka, Ephraim Purazeni, Muchofira Finhurai and Anyway
Zacharia. Police denied them food and access to medical treatment.
- Councillor
Gorekore's brother Shingirai is in hospital after he was
seriously injured in one of the attacks. Police watched with glee
as the Zanu PF youths destroyed Gorekore's property and
the nearby MDC Mbare district offices.
- When the
matter came to court, with Gorekore and his comrades in the dock
as the accused, a senior police officer in charge of investigations,
Phillip Magauze stunned the hearing when he confessed that police
failed to arrest Zanu PF youths involved in the violence because
they were too powerful. "We were overpowered," he
said. Instead, the police locked up MDC supporters - all
survivors from the violence. Bvudzijena wants the world to believe
that this never happened as he omitted it in his so-called comprehensive
security report despite the fact that her Minister, Hon. Theresa
Makone visited Gorekore's home and witnessed the evidence
of Zanu PF's madness. Other incidents include the attacks
on Kenneth Mahute of Block 7 Matapi Flats, Mbare, Harare by Zanu
PF youths on Wednesday night. Mahute reported the matter at Matapi
Police Station and no action was taken against the Zanu PF militants.
- On 5 February,
five MDC activists were badly injured after another assault by
Zanu PF supporters at Carter House in Mbare.The five: Patrick
Mufuka (34), Charles Magurira (38), Edson Muneka (31), Godfrey
Mutowo (38) and Francis Kadigo had to seek medical attention at
a Harare hospital.
The cases cited
above represent a numerous examples showing hard evidence of police
complicity with Zanu PF in violence; and police partisanship in
the manner it executed its Constitutional mandate. More surprisingly
Bvudzijena failed dismally to update Zimbabwe on the fate of Monday's
looters of the Gulf Complex in Harare. He never mentions the
incident, again pretending that it never happened.
The MDC is relieved
that Bvudzijena has come out clearly and explained the reasoning
behind the police inaction. It is clear from his report that the
police have become a major fault line through its inexplicable alliance
with Zanu PF. The nation is watching these developments with a keen
interest. The people know what is happening in their own communities.
They are keeping records of the perpetrators and their sponsors.
The MDC has
survived the sordid alliance in the past 11 years and remains resolute
in its struggle against these forces of darkness.
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