By Owen Chikari
MASVINGO – Heavily armed police officers stormed Mucheke Hall in Masvingo over the weekend, sending revellers scampering for cover after they declared that the musical show in which MDC-T legislator Paul Madzore was scheduled to perform was illegal and in defiance of a court order.
Police, some armed with AK 47 rifles and others on horse back and all accompanied by the police dog section descended stormed Mucheke Hall and send revellers running in all directions just minutes before the arrival of Madzore and his Mhenyamauro Band.
Madzore and his band had obtained a court order to perform at the musical show after police initially had refused to grand the band permission to perform. Masvingo magistrate Timeon Makunde had granted an order by Madzore to perform at the musical function after the officer commanding Masvingo District, Chief Superintendent Joseph Nyapfuri, had banned the event.
Armed with a court order the Mhenyamauro Band thought all was well but little did members know that the police were still adamant that the show should be banned. Revellers some who had paid their entry fees in advance had to run for dear life as armed policemen chased them away.
“We had obtained a court order and by banning the musical show the police are actually in contempt of court”, said David Charirwe an MDC official.
“The police had initially banned the musical show but we appealed to the court and won”, said Charirwe. “This shows that there is not rule of law in this country.”
MDC Masvingo provincial spokesman Tongai Matutu yesterday confirmed that heavily armed police officers had disrupted the musical show.
“We were surprised to see heavily armed officers coming to the venue some on horse back and other with AK 47 rifles to chase revellers away”, said Matutu. Police provincial spokesman Inspector Tinaye Matake said that they had banned the musical show for security reasons. He did not elaborate. Madzore who later arrived at the venue was shocked to discover that the police had sealed off the venue.
“If you say we are independent and things like this happen then we are joking”, said a dejected Madzore. “We have to fight for our independence.”
While the police were busy chasing away people from Madzore’s musical show popular Sungura musician Tongai Moyo and his Utakataka Band were performing just metres away. It could not be established why the police decided to ban Madzore’s musical show while allowing Moyo to perform a short distance away. The Daily News
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