MDC wants violence probed

By Mugove Tafirenyika

The MDC has condemned the surge of violence in Harare which saw its car and properties belonging to its senior members being torched in suspected cases of arson by people believed to be from its main rival Zanu PF.

On Wednesday, MDC MPs demanded action to be taken on the three incidents which they said were acts of thuggery.

“I would want the House to request the leader of the House for today to issue a statement in relation to the rising of political violence which the country has witnessed over the past two weeks,” Chitungwiza North MP Godfrey Sithole said in the National Assembly.

On Tuesday night, MDC vice president Elias Mudzuri’s Dandaro bar in Harare was set alight.

On the same night, MDC councillor Wilton Janjazi’s house in Kuwadzana was also attacked and torched by armed thugs and arsonists.

Last week, an MDC youth a.ssembly Isuzu truck was torched at a car park in Kuwadzana by what the party claimed were “Zanu PF thugs.”

Zanu PF administration secretary Ignatius Chombo claims it was an “inside job.”

“As the investigations are underway, the minister of Home Affairs has actually made conclusions that this is done by MDC members, which is not supposed to be the proper way of doing things,” Sithole said.

So, may… (acting leader of government business Patrick) Chinamasa issue a government ministerial statement in relation to the rising cases of political violence.

“Even yesterday here in this august House, we experienced political violence where (Harare East MP Terence)…. Mukupe and (Lawrence) Katsiru wanted to fight inside this august House.”

Mudzuri insisted that Zanu PF members were responsible for the alleged arson attack at his bar.

“For me, this is nothing less than malice. It cannot be theft. It’s targeted destruction,” he said distraughtly in the National Assembly.

“It is difficult to discount politics or anything else for that matter. It is our hope that the perpetrators will be arrested, but at times, in the society we live in now, it could be misplaced hope.

“We have many cases, including one in which people in military fatigue destroyed our family home in the rural areas a few years ago, but to this day nobody has been charged.”

Acting National Assembly Speaker Reuben Marumahoko said he would ask Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to issue a statement condemning the political violence.

“While the issues that you raised are pertinent, I am sure there is a time where you should raise those issues,” Marumahoko said, adding “where you raise matters of public importance; there is a provision for that, if you could reserve it for the right time”.

This was after Sithole raised a point of privilege on an issue of national interest emanating from the duties of Parliament as stated in Section 119 of the Constitution, read in conjunction with Section 2, on the supremacy of the Constitution. Daily News