FORMER Vice President Joice Mujuru’s People First (PF) project has reacted angrily to what it called the violent attack on its member by suspected Zanu PF party supporters.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
The grouping, formed by axed former Zanu PF stalwarts and fronted by Mujuru, claimed Zanu PF supporters last week stormed a funeral wake and attacked mourners suspected of being sympathetic to the ex-VPs’ political pet-project.
Violence broke out in Chitungwiza last Wednesday, leaving scores injured, while others were “abducted” in the ensuing melee, as Zanu PF supporters allegedly went on the rampage and indiscriminately attacked the mourners.
PF’s spokesperson Rugare Gumbo condemned the outbreak of violence and called for tolerance of divergent political views.
“We don’t encourage violence against anyone. We may have different political persuasion, but we don’t believe in violence. Our slogan is non-violence. Let’s have people disagreeing on some political matters, but going to the extent of unleashing violence is unacceptable,” Gumbo said.
The fledgling political outfit’s Harare Province representative, Farai Kuveya, called the incident a “sad development”.
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“Five of our members who had earlier fled the abduction scene were later ambushed, heavily assaulted with planks, barbed wire and steel rods, bundled into vehicles belonging to the assailants and also dumped at the same State security offices in Makoni, where they were interrogated,” he said in a statement. “It is sad to note that violence is rearing its ugly head two years before general elections and is being carried out unprovoked in broad daylight to instil fear among the masses to align or support a movement of their choice without risking retribution.”
Kuveya added that Zanu PF needed to “stop indicating left and turning right”.
“It is disheartening to see that Zanu PF does not walk the talk in as far as maintaining a peaceful environment for the citizens of our beloved nation. The fact that the abduction and assaults were carried out by known Zanu PF functionaries, who are executive members at provincial level, leaves one wondering where we are going as a nation,” Kuveya said.
The incident came hot on the heels of the gruesome murder of two Zanu PF officials in Chitungwiza, who were axed to death in cold blood over political differences by their colleague who later on allegedly committed suicide while in police custody.
