MDC-T vice-president, Nelson Chamisa yesterday accused Zanu PF of planning a violent 2018 election after arsonists allegedly torched the opposition’s youth assembly vehicle at a car park in Kuwadzana, Harare.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
The burning of the vehicle came after police on Wednesday ruthlessly crushed an MDC-T youth assembly-organised demonstration calling for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to implement electoral reforms to level the playing field that they allege is tilted in the ruling party’s favour.
Chamisa, who is the legislator for the constituency, said Zanu PF was trying to instil fear in the opposition party, but maintained they would not be cowed.
The MDC-T claim their vehicle was petrol-bombed yesterday morning. When a NewsDay crew arrived at the scene, police were conducting investigations.
“Clearly, this is a politically-motivated initiative and we have only one suspect and it can only be our opposition, which is Zanu PF,” Chamisa said. “Our suspicion is not far-fetched because this is not the beginning; this is not the first time.
“Our colleagues in Zanu PF believe in this sort of language, so we can hear their voice, we can see their acts and what is clear is that they have started their old ways.
“It is clear this is a machination by Zanu PF to try and instil fear and also to try and give warnings of what is to come in 2018.”
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However, Zanu PF spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo dismissed the allegations, calling on the MDC-T to file a police report so there could be investigations into who set the vehicle on fire.
“Do they have proof of that? If they do, they should report the matter to the police,” he said.
But Chamisa said by invoking violence, Zanu PF war declaring war on Zimbabweans.
“What is clear about this thuggery is that the 2018 elections, just like any other previous election, are a declaration of war on the people of Zimbabwe, a declaration of war on all progressive forces,” he said.
“Clearly, these are acts of terrorism, but you will find that there is no willingness on the part of the government to curb this kind of behaviour because they cannot arrest themselves and tame what they are good at.”
Chamisa said it was the responsibility of the government to ensure that every citizen and their properties are safe. He said, as the 2018 elections approached, they needed guarantors and underwriters in the form of the international community to ensure violence-free polls.
“Of course, we have started reaching out to those institutions to try and ask them to come and provide guarantee services,” he said.
“You are aware that our elections have been bloody and Zanu PF is very unpopular and very violent when cornered.”
