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NewsDay

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MDC-T under siege

Politics
MDC-T Matabeleland South offices in Gwanda were yesterday raided by security agents who quizzed staff over motorbikes stored in the party’s provincial offices.

MDC-T Matabeleland South offices in Gwanda were yesterday raided by security agents who quizzed staff over motorbikes stored in the party’s provincial offices as the siege against Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party escalates ahead of harmonised elections. Report by Nqobile Bhebhe

The raid came hardly a week after a similar raid was conducted in Mashonaland Central where police confiscated 15 motorcycles belonging to the MDC-T intended for the party’s campaign activities in President Robert Mugabe’s perceived stronghold.

Sources in Gwanda told NewsDay that about seven plain-clothed security agents stormed the offices mid-morning and “terrified” staff in the process.

MDC-T Matabeleland South administrator Mduduzi Tshuma was questioned together with several officials.

The MDC-T offices are located in the central business district. “The men who identified themselves as security agents quizzed staff members as to how the party procured the motorbikes and what we are using them for. It was very intimidating,” said the source.

MDC-T provincial chairperson Watchy Sibanda confirmed the raid.

“I have been phoned by staff in the office about the raid,” he said. “As MDC-T we view this as intimidation, a ploy to derail our operations, especially the election campaign.

“How do you mobilse people without transportation?” asked Sibanda. “We have several motorbikes in Gwanda and we use them for our day-to-day operations.” No material was seized during the raid.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Sergeant Loveness Mangena yesterday afternoon said they were not aware of the raid.

“As of now, we are not yet aware of the raids,” she said. “If there was such an incident we will get a report from our details.”

Efforts to get a comment from national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba were unsuccessful yesterday evening as she was not picking her mobile phone.

In February, an MDC-T campaign vehicle was stolen and later found stripped of its parts. Prior to the vehicle theft, the MDC-T lost four bicycles and computers to thieves.

The 15 motorcycles seized in Mashonaland Central province were kept at the house of a party employee, Susan Mawire, whom the police took in for questioning before releasing her.

During the 2008 election campaign, police in Matabeleland North confiscated a BMW luxury vehicle which had reportedly been donated by a well-wisher in South Africa for MDC-T leader Tsvangirai’s use.

Police impounded the vehicle allegedly because it was being driven by an unauthorised driver in terms of the Temporary Import Permit regulations. The vehicle is still being held at Lupane Police Station.