Notorious Mnangagwa ally strikes again
By Lionel Saungweme
Notorious Zanu PF youth, Magura Charumbira, has struck again. He assaulted Bulawayo’s Ward 9 Councillor Charles Moyo with fists at the vending bays outside Makokoba’s Madlodlo Beerhall on Monday 27 November 2017.
Three other Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) councillors were present but could not help their comrade as Charumbira was flanked by a strong-looking seven-man body guard team.
After the assault, which was witnessed by Nehanda Radio, Cllr Moyo approached the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) at Mzilikazi Police Station.
Even though Madlodlo Beerhall is situated across the road, opposite Mzilikazi Police Station, no police officer came to Cllr Moyo’s rescue.
When approached by four city councillors, the ZRP refused to take down an incident report after Charumbira declared on top of his voice “Mapurisa ese hapana zvaanondiita (There is nothing that the police can do to me!”
The case was reported to a Constable Ncube, who asked for time to confer with the Member-In-Charge in his office. During that time, Charumbira continued to boast.
“Kana ndakabvisa Grace (Mugabe) ndingazonetswa nemi? Murichii imi ma-Councillor e-MDC (How can I be troubled by poor MDC councillors, when I deposed Grace Mugabe from power?
After Charumbira boasted, police officers became visibly intimidated and the Member-In-Charge did not come out of his office. Charumbira’s escort of youthful men donning Zanu PF regalia seemed more intimidating.
Cllr Moyo has previously clashed with the Environmental Management Agency. Last season, while spearheading BCC’s pro-poor policy, he lifted a ban on the slashing of maize grown on council land by residents
“My crime is telling vendors that councillors are their representatives and that the bays are allocated to them by no one else but the Bulawayo City Council (BCC),” said Cllr Moyo.
Cllr Moyo narrated that Charumbira was misrepresenting facts and misleading gullible members of the public.
“He is declaring council property as his. Since when did Bulawayo City Council sell land to Charumbira? How will the BCC service its US$173million debt if powerful partisan individuals grab land leased to vendors?” asked Cllr Moyo.
As if to punctuate his authority over police and Bulawayo City Council, Charumbira addressed vendors who sell vegetables outside Edgars Departmental Store on 28 November 2017. Edgars is situated opposite Bulawayo’s Tredgold Building, which houses the Magistrates Courts, at the corner of Herbert Chitepo Street and Leopold Takawira Avenue.
“These are my bays,” Charumbira shouted to vendors. “Asingadi kuenda kumusangano weZanu PF azive kuti bay raenda (Vendors who refuse to join Zanu PF, will have their vending bays seized!”
In Harare, Zanu PF youths organised under the notorious Chipangano gang, have illegally seized council vending bays in Mbare. Touting at some bus stops and taxi ranks is now exclusively controlled by Zanu PF and Chipangano youths.
Drivers of long-distance buses, in some areas of Harare, pay termini ranking fees to Zanu PF and Chipangano youths. This precludes the Harare City Council from collecting rentals from its properties.
In addition, after the Zimbabwe Defence Forces took sides with a faction led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, it seems no police officer at Mzilikazi Police Station wants to prosecute anyone rumoured to be close to the President.
Contrary to the flicker of hope that lit through President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s maiden speech, delivered at the National Sports Stadium, on 17 November 2017, the attempted seizure of council-owned vending bays seemingly underlines a continuation of Zanu PF’s violent behaviour and disregard for the rule of law.
Commenting on social media, human rights lawyer David Coltart has said of the “new” dispensation:
“It is not a new dawn just a variation of the [old] regime ….” Nehanda Radio
