Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP)

STATEMENT ON THE
KILLING OF UNARMED PEOPLE BY THE ZRP FOLLOWING THE REQUEST OF THE
HARARE CITY COUNCIL TO
“DE-CONGEST THE STREETS”

26th February 2017.

Firstly, the Zimbabwe Communist Party extends its condolences to the relatives and friends of those killed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police on the 22nd February 2018 due to the request of the Harare City Council to “de-congest the streets”; our sympathy is also extended to those injured.

The shooting and killing of people on the streets of Harare by the Zimbabwe Republic Police can be understood from a number of angles. But first of all, as Communists we see it as reflection of class attitudes by the MDC Harare City Council, the ZANU(PF) government and the police.

What happened is a crude example of the Dictatorship of the Bourgeoisie against the people.

True. The centre of Harare is congested. But why is it congested?

It is like this because the working-class has been denied means of survival by the parasitic black bourgeoisie who have looted and destroyed the economy in the name of “indigenous empowerment”. But as we have seen many times before, the word ‘indigenous’ has taken on a different meaning in Zimbabwean English. The black majority is simply a nuisance to the new élite — the ‘indigenous’; for them the ordinary people who do not have wealth simply make the streets untidy and must be removed — like garbage.

Those with cars find it very inconvenient that kombis crowd the city centre. People must get off far from their destination — and walk.

These class attitudes persist in the bourgeois parties and in society as a whole. The only light is that in the attempt to try to show a difference, we are seeing that the Police Commissioner, Godwin Matanga has announced an enquiry. We thank him for this. This is a small step forward. It would not have happened previously. We must insist, though, that not only the direct perpetrators are punished, but also those who sent the police in with live ammunition. We are awaiting the outcome.

The Communist Party, is a party of order. But to try to impose order in a situation which is highly abnormal without first dealing with the root causes — unemployment and bad planning —and without any dialogue with the people means that our current ‘democracy’ is a sham. Representatives are elected by the people but choose to set themselves above the people. This must stop.

Ngqabutho Nicholas Mabhena

General Secretary

+27 83 340 1000
[email protected]

Ian Beddowes

National Commissar

[email protected]
+27 60 440 3137.