Police fire warning shots to disperse violent Zanu-PF supporters

by Staff reporter

2012 May 01 00:26:22 | 1680 Views

POLICE in Masvingo fired warning shots last Saturday to disperse hundreds of Zanu-PF supporters who had besieged Shumba Primary School in Nyajena in Masvingo South following an outbreak of violence over the conduct of elections to choose a new district executive for Masvingo.

Hundreds of Zanu-PF supporters had allegedly besieged the school and smashed some window panes with stones in protest over the holding of the district co-ordinating committee (DCC) elections.

They alleged the elections were marred by irregularities. The elections in Ward 30 under Tokwane-Ngundu in Nyajena had to becalled off after police were forced to fire shots into the air to disperse hundreds of stone-throwing Zanu-PF supporters.
The supporters had camped at the primary school for the elections.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena, yesterday said police had to intervene to maintain law and order after some disturbances at the school.
Snr Assist Comm Bvudzijena said investigations were still underway to establish what transpired.

"Police had to intervene to maintain law and order following some disorderly conduct at a primary school in Masvingo South where Zanu-PF elections were taking place.

"Warning shots might have been fired to disperse the crowd and make sure sanity prevailed but we are stillinvestigating the case to establish what actually transpired," he said.
He said no arrests had been made by yesterday afternoon.

Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman, Lovemore Matuke, said he was still to get full details about the incident.

"I only heard that there were some minor problems somewhere in Masvingo district a few days ago but I am not aware of exactly where? I will only get full details on Wednesday during my meeting with presiding officers who were leading the DCC elections throughout the province," said Matuke. Masvingo South legislator, Cde

Walter Mzembi, yesterday castigated what he called an increasing lack of discipline among some party members behind the lawlessness and disorder.

"This indiscipline is tearing at the core of leadership and needs to be stopped. If people appeal for redress from the top and they are ignored and referred to the law of jungle, it doesn't surprise when they become victims of the very people who are supposed to protectthem from abuse.

"Of course I must add that the party should immediately disabuse individuals of their power of self deployment.

"In the final analysis the party should arrogate to itself the ultimate role of deploying cadres if it is to check individualism, selfishness, factionalism, tribalism, regionalism and ultimately the division so rampant now everywhere," said Mzembi.

In the Masvingo DCC elections incumbent Trust Mugabe is squaring up against farmer and businessman Davis Marapira.

Masvingo police

Source: TH