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Mujuru supporters beaten up after rally

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SEVERAL Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) supporters have been hospitalised following suspected retributive attacks by people believed to be Zanu PF supporters, who accused them of attending former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s campaign rally in Harare last Saturday.

SEVERAL Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) supporters have been hospitalised following suspected retributive attacks by people believed to be Zanu PF supporters, who accused them of attending former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s campaign rally in Harare last Saturday.

BY OBEY MANAYITI/EVERSON MUSHAVA

Joice Mujuru
Joice Mujuru

Party spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire yesterday described the attacks as barbaric and meant to instil fear into opposition supporters.

“We have a number of our supporters who were attacked, harassed and injured by Zanu PF thugs in Harare South, Glen View and Glen Norah,” he claimed.

“Seven of these had to receive medical attention and of these, two are still hospitalised.”

Mawarire said one of the victims, Patricia Pfachi (56), sustained a broken arm and a dislocated wrist, while 35-year-old Collen Mbava had his right eye injured in the attacks.

Mbava reported his case at Waterfalls Police Station under RRB 2825475.

Another victim, Matilda Marichi (34), also sustained severe injuries and reported the matter at the same police station under RRB 2825476.

Mawarire said ZimPF was paying medical bills for its injured members and working in liaison with the police to ensure the suspects were brought to book.

“It’s really barbaric that people are maimed, harassed and almost murdered for peacefully attending a political gathering,” he said.

“It is also unthinkable and outright psychopathic for these thugs to harass service providers, including ice-cream and water vendors, who capitalised on the tens of thousands of Harareans who thronged the Saturday rally venue to sell their wares and also listen to president Mujuru, their mother.”

Mawarire urged party members to remain vigilant and steadfast in their quest to dislodge Zanu PF in the 2018 elections.

Contacted for comment, Zanu PF provincial youth leader Edson Takataka denied that his party was involved in the attacks.

“I actually don’t know about that. We don’t do such type of politics in our party and we don’t fight people,” he said.

“It could be their supporters turning against each other. I am a full-time pastor and I don’t believe in violence. We are actually working to build our structures and we don’t have time for violence.”

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said she had not yet been briefed about the incidents.

“I don’t have that report. If they reported to police, that matter will be investigated,” she said.

In March this year, suspected Zanu PF supporters stormed a ZimPF rally in Glen View and forced Mujuru’s supporters to flee after they pelted them with stones.

Mujuru has, meanwhile, changed the dates for her Masvingo rally from July 6 to July 9 to accommodate working people.

Initially the rally was scheduled for midweek, but has been moved to Saturday, with Mawarire saying the party had bowed to pressure from its supporters to hold the rally at the weekend.

“Our supporters suggested to us to move the rally to a weekend to allow those who are employed to also attend,” he said.

“We have moved the rally from July 6 to July 9. It will be easier for all our supporters to attend. We have considered the requests from our supporters.”

Mujuru is billed to hold rallies in all parts of the country before ZimPF’s official launch in October this year.