Main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) says three activists were flogged by suspected Zanu PF supporters in Mutare on Saturday.
The victims according to CCC national spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere, were attacked as soon as they left the party’s internal meeting.
Mahere said the attackers are well known and the matter has been reported to the police.
“We’ve received a report that known ZANU PF thugs unlawfully barricaded roads & violently attacked @CCCZimbabwe members who were leaving an internal meeting. 3 CCC members were beaten with logs. The matter was reported to the police. No action taken so far,” she said on Twitter.
Mahere said another Zanu PF official was caught on camera inciting violence and also threatening to kill opposition members.
“The incident took place yesterday. The @ZANUPF_Official member is caught on camera inciting violence & threatening murder. “Ndinokudamburai ndiri one. Ndinokuurayai,” he says. Our peace monitors brought calm to the situation & secured medical attention for the injured,” said Mahere.
Manicaland police spokesperson Nobert Muzondo said, “I cannot comment because I have no facts at the moment.”
The attack comes two months after seven elderly CCC members from Murewa were attacked by suspected Zanu PF officials.
The political space continues to shrink for the opposition which has had over 70 meetings blocked or banned by the police for several reasons.
Some of the meetings are interrupted by violent suspected Zanu PF activists often leaving numbers injured.
In January this year, anti-riot police stormed CCC legislator Costa Machingauta’s Budiriro home and arrested party organising secretary and lawmaker Amos Chibaya together with 24 opposition activists who were holding an internal meeting.
Machingauta and the lawyer who was hired to represent the activists also got arrested later before they were charged for holding an unsanctioned meeting and disorderly conduct respectively.
CCC claims the ruling party is running scared as general elections are to be held in a few months’ time.
In other news – Zimbabwe registers 10 new air routes
Zimbabwe has secured at least 10 flight routes over the past two years, as the government moves to revive the sector to pre-Covid 19 pandemic era levels, a senior official said on Thursday.
Addressing a stakeholder’s meeting held to discuss the future of Zimbabwe’s air service development, Transport and Infrastructure Development permanent secretary Eng Theodius Chinyanga attributed the achievements to a strategic initiative implemented by the Ministry and its parastatals.Learn More
