Source: Richard Chidza, NewsDay
FOUR MDC-T supporters in Harare South, along with a six-week-old child, have been admitted to a private hospital in the city after they were brutally assaulted by suspected Zanu PF activists on Sunday night as political violence continues to escalate in the capital.
MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu yesterday confirmed the incident, describing the attack as unprovoked and part of a more elaborate plot to terrorise citizens ahead of the 2018 elections.
“The information we have is that an unknown number of Zanu PF supporters descended on Zone Five in Harare South and proceeded to unleash an orgy of violence on innocent people suspected to be members of the MDC-T. To show the indiscriminate nature of the attack, a six-week-old baby is now receiving treatment after reportedly being thrown on the floor,” Gutu said.
Gutu said information at hand indicated that the attack in Harare South was part of a growing wider plan to unleash a reign of terror in the capital’s environs more than a year before an general election.
“Harare South has been a melting pot of political instability since the days of Hubert Nyanhongo (now Nyanga North MP) and Zanu PF has expended no effort in trying to make it a no-go area for the MDC-T.
“The attack shows the depth of barbarism our political opponents in the ruling party are willing to sink to in order to achieve their targets. We are informed that there is a wider conspiracy for similar attack in Budiriro, Glen View and Harare North, including the setting-up of torture bases,” Gutu said.
But Zanu PF provincial chairman Charles Tawengwa said he was unaware of the incident.
“I am hearing it from you, but that is not the way Zanu PF operates. We do not have a plan to set-up any bases and our structures are not involved in such a plan,” Tawengwa said.
NewsDay managed to trek down the victims and spoke to a man who sustained a swollen face and limbs.
“They were looking for the MDC-T youth leadership in the area and just rounded up everyone at a bar. I was identified by some women who claimed I had links to a youth leader and all hell broke loose. They used pool-table sticks as well as logs to assault me and others.
“A wife of one of the MDC-T youth leaders and her child were not spared and they are here (a private counselling and treatment centre) for assistance. Many were beaten up and have minor injuries. Some of the attackers were wearing military uniform.”
Source: Richard Chidza, NewsDay