By A Correspondent- Scores of party supporters were bussed to the mining indaba conference in Gweru where President Emmerson Mnangagwa was scheduled to speak on Wednesday.

Although the event was a strictly formal business meeting, the rather unsophisticated supporters were invited to beef up numbers to avoid the embarrassment of addressing empty chairs that has afflicted the president in recent times.

This move only came back to bite the party after the supporters who were clad in party regalia caused a raucous at feeding points after being denied access to lunch. Anti-riot police had to called in to quell the restive crowd.

Dosman Mangisi, the Zimbabwe Mining Federation spokespersonMangisi confirmed witnessing the fracas that saw riot police being called in.

“I did see that happening because I was part of the security. One big thing to note is that the small-scale miners were excited to interface with the Head of State and government, the chief principal of the mining sector. It was an inaugural event. The event has already been placed on the annual calendar.

However, Mangisi downplayed the incident claiming that said there was nothing wrong with what the Zanu-Pf did at the event.

Zanu PF has strong grassroots in the rural areas, as people in the rural mining district are bonafide members of the ruling party, they felt it necessary to be in solidarity with it since it champions empowerment programmes. It was not a party event at all. The issues articulated were all mining-related..

However,  Some delegates who had paid for the two-day event and those accredited were reportedly relegated to less comfortable places whilst Zanu-Pf supporters occupied front seats, a local publication reports.

Some miners who spoke to the publication expressed disappointment, saying they never anticipated the event o become a political gathering.

-Newsday