You won’t stop me – Tsvangirai

By Fungi Kwaramba

HARARE – Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday vowed to continue with his nationwide rallies even after 14 people were injured in a brutal attack in the aftermath of his Epworth rally on Sunday.

Tsvangirai was speaking after visiting Tambudzai Kalandi and Florence Motsi, who are admitted at the Avenues Clinic, after being severely assaulted after the MDC leader’s rally.

Kalandi is in the intensive care unit, having suffered multiple body injuries including a broken leg, while Motsi sustained severe head injuries.

The two women were battered viciously together with 12 other people who were injured in the attack.

Speaking to journalists after visiting the two MDC activists, Tsvangirai alleged that Zanu PF masterminded the savage attack.

Meanwhile, police blamed MDC supporters for the attack, with chief superintendent Paul Nyathi, the police spokesperson, saying they have arrested three MDC activists in connection with the violence which he said saw 11 Zanu PF supporters injured and seven houses damaged.

But Tsvangirai said he will not be deterred by dirty tactics.

“Zanu PF attacked these people,” Tsvangirai said. “This happened in an area where we have a violent MP. He (the MP) is the godfather of violence and the sponsor of thugs like Chipangano.”

He alleged that having seen that the plot to split his MDC party has failed, Tsvangirai alleged Zanu PF had resorted to violence.

“What is important to emphasise is that when Zanu PF sees people on the roll, it turns to its default mode which is violence, fear and intimidation,” Tsvangirai said. “We need to recognise that the MDC is a popular movement while Zanu PF has a challenge of converting their harvest of fear, violence and intimidation into popularity.”

Tsvangirai said even in the face of violence, the MDC would continue to engage the people.

“The crisis of Zanu PF is how to turn violence into popularity,” Tsvangirai said. “This should not be a way of intimidating the people. We will continue to pursue the people’s interests.

“We have been victims of Zanu PF for a long time and we are not going to be stopped. We cannot stop our programmes because Zanu PF has thrown a few stones,” said Tsvangirai, who in 2007 was severely beaten up by police.

Despite spirited remonstrations from local Zanu PF MP Amos Midzi, Tsvangirai insisted that the ex-Zanu PF provincial spokesman was behind the violence.

A furious Midzi distanced himself from the attack.

“Ngaararware zvakanaka (Tsvangirai must be sick), I did not even know that there was an MDC rally,” Midzi told the Daily News. “I was busy at the Zanu PF Women’s League conference, which was addressed by the vice president (Joice Mujuru). I only got a call around 7.30 (pm) that some of our supporters had been beaten by MDC thugs.”

Midzi alleged Tsvangirai was “trying to draw Zanu PF into his party internal conflicts”

“Tsvangirai and his MDC are using ancient methods of trying to blame everything on others,” Midzi said. “Everyone knows there is internal conflict within the MDC and Tsvangirai is under attack from his own.”

In a press statement, police said MDC supporters had perpetrated the violence, and said Munyaradzi Chibanda, an MDC supporter who was at Tsvangirai’s rally, allegedly jumped over the Epworth Local Board Durawall and went to Bela Pesi Farm while dressed in his party regalia to provoke Zanu PF supporters.

The police spokesman said Chibanda later went back to the rally where he claimed that he had been assaulted  by unknown people.

“MDC-T youths then ganged and went to Bela Pesi Farm and started to indiscriminately assault Zanu PF supporters among them women and children who were at their homes. In the process 11 Zanu PF supporters were injured while seven houses were damaged,” said the police statement.

“Police have since arrested the following MDC-T supporters; Moses Chindanga (26), Kholawani Makina (29) and Alex Makina (33) who were involved in the assault of Bela Pesi Farm residents.”

Nyathi said “police would like to warn all malcontents who are bent on instigating violence that they will face the full wrath of the law.” Daily News