By- Soldiers and police officers on Sartuday reportedly beat up Zanu PF supporters who wanted to leave President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rally in Epworth.
According to the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, the disgruntled Zanu PF supporters wanted to leave Epworth High School grounds, the venue of the rally, before Mnangagwa had spoken.
The Forum also claimed that ruling party supporters forced informal traders in Mbare to close their market stalls and bussed them to attend Mnangagwa’s rally in Epworth.
The people wanted to leave after an announcement that no title deeds would be given out at the rally. The Forum said:
On 12 February, Zanu PF supporters forced informal traders in Mbare to close their market stalls and attend a rally addressed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Epworth.
Buses were deployed to ferry people to Epworth, with Zanu PF youth ordering some members, most of whom got the stalls through the Zanu PF patronage system, to abandon business and attend the rally.
At the same time, some Zanu PF youths were also forcing informal dealers at Gazaland, Highfields to abandon their workstations and attend the President’s rally.
Assaults Disgruntled Zanu PF party members who attempted to leave the Epworth venue before President Emmerson Mnangagwa addressed the rally were beaten up and forced back by armed soldiers and police.
The members wanted to leave after an announcement that no title deeds would be given out at the rally.
The Forum accused the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T of political intolerance after the party’s supporters allegedly defaced campaign posters of Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) parliamentary and local government candidates in Highfields on Saturday.
The MDC-T was holding a rally at Zororo Grounds to launch its campaign for the by-elections scheduled to take place on 26 March this year. Said The Forum
Political intolerance On 12 February, the MDC Alliance had a rally at Zororo Centre which was addressed by its leader, Douglas Mwonzora.
Before the rally, MDC-A supporters went around the rally venue, defacing campaign posters of CCC parliamentary and local government candidates.