Paul Nyathi|Police and ZANU PF have unashamedly continued to claim that they did not use live or rubber bullets at MDC leaders and few supporters who had gathered to plant trees in Marondera on Sunday.
The police say they used tear smoke to disperse the small MDC gathering at Dombotombo Clinic in Marondera claiming that it was unsanctioned.
The police claim that they fired the tear smoke, which apparently left holes resembling live bullets, “after part of the crowd, who had arrived in kombis, refused to disperse and continued to block patients from using the clinic.”
They said they first engaged the party supporters and their leadership to leave the venue because there had been no prior notification as required, but without success and they were forced to use violence.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said: “The Zimbabwe Republic Police dismisses allegations that live rounds of rubber bullets were used or fired when police officers in Marondera dispersed MDC supporters and activists on Sunday afternoon who had illegally gathered at Dombotombo Clinic and some leaders attempted to address the gathering without following the laid down notification procedures in terms of the law.
“Police only used tear smoke to disperse the gathering and politicians, with some who had been transported in kombis openly refusing to comply with lawful orders which had been given by the police.”
The MDC supporters who were at the scene posted a video clip on social media which showed that there were gunshots fired in the direction of the MDC leadership and supporters. Police and government officials however unwarrantedly dismiss the authenticity of the video.
ZANU PF spin doctor and government, Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana claimed that the MDC was dramatising the incident which was highly life threatening not only to the MDC leadership but also innocent members of the community including patients at the clinic.
“It’s the usual opposition histrionics and dramatics. (MDC-Alliance leader Nelson) Chamisa tried to have a rally in Dombotombo Clinic, disrupting the delivery of care to the sick people there,” he said.
“Police were called in. At this point there were kombis full of rowdy people who were very aggressive. They started surging towards the police in an aggressive way. Police deployed tear smoke to disperse the people. There was no use of firearms and none of the police details was armed with live ammunition,” he said
Mangwana added: “What we are dealing with here is attention-seeking theatrics we have come to expect from an opposition which is devoid of ideas and political programmes.”
MDC-Alliance MP for Marondera Central Caston Matewu insisted that live bullets were used against supporters and party leader Mr Chamisa while he was conducting a tree-planting ceremony.
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