There are running battles in Norton right now after riot police teargassed a rally by independent candidate Temba Mliswa in which the opposition MDC-T had mobilised thousands of their supporters to come and support him.
Speaking to Nehanda Radio, MDC Vice President Nelson Chamisa said they had “mobilised thousands of their supporters to go and support Mliswa”, but riot police with the help of Zanu PF youths came and violently disrupted the planned rally at Norton Ngoni Stadium.
Chamisa said a vehicle he was a passenger in and another one belonging to Mliswa had been damaged in the commotion. Despite a court order allowing the rally to go ahead, Chamisa said it appeared Zanu PF was determined to disrupt the rally.
Nehanda Radio also understands the riot police are going around Norton randomly beating up people at shopping centres and beerhalls.
Several eye witnesses told us the attack by the police was unprovoked. Angry MDC supporters are said to have retaliated and began throwing the teargas canisters back at the riot police. The police responded by calling in reinforcements including water canons.
Mliswa is running as an independent candidate in the Norton by-election, a seat that fell vacant after War Vets leader Christopher Mutsvangwa was expelled from Zanu PF for allegedly denigrating President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace.
More details as we get them……………….
This week the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), a human rights watchdog, reported an increase in politically-motivated violence in Norton.
The major contest in the poll that will be held on 22 October will be between Temba Mliswa, an independent candidate who was also fired from Zanu PF where he was the Mashonaland West provincial chair, and the ruling party’s Ronald Tinashe Chindedza.
“As the Norton by-election impends, Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) is gravely concerned by the increasing incidences of politically motivated violence in the constituency.
ZPP named Patrick Zhuwao, the minister responsible for youths and empowerment and Mugabe’s nephew, as one of the individuals behind the violence.
“Norton residents acknowledge existence of political violence and rising tensions owing to the call by Minister of Youth, Patrick Zhuwao for National Youth Service trained youths to meet in relation to the Norton by-election,” noted ZPP.
It added that cases of violence involved supporters of both Mliswa and Chindedza.
A female teenanger, Natasha Nyikadzino, was reportedly abducted from her home and later released by Zanu PF supporters who were looking for but could not find her mother, Ronika, who is on Mliswa’s campaign team.
“In another incident, a Zanu PF youth, Tafadzwa Chimbuzi, was violently attacked and sustained a deep cut on his tongue. Chimbuzi was admitted at Katanga clinic.
“These incidents and the tension in the constituency all point to the need for multi-party liaison committees becoming a part of people’s lives and not only being put in place towards an election. Long-standing committees become conflict resolution mechanisms,” said ZPP.
One church elder who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation said only two groups seem to be clashing.
“The groups that are fighting know each other because they were once supporters of the same party. We do not condone their behaviour but we are saying involving the Border Gezi youths may not be the solution,” he asserted.
“ZPP therefore implores all contesting parties to respect the rights of citizens who have just over a week to exercise their constitutional right.
“(We) call on the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to intervene accordingly in order to curb politically motivated violence in Norton ahead of the by-election,” said the watchdog. Nehanda Radio
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