Am currently marooned inside Harvest House, the MDC headquarters. An armoured police vehicle with some 40 or so policemen is right at the entrance while about 50 armed police are at the back of the building. There are about 12 of us still inside the building. They are saying they want a police helmet and a baton, without explaining where, how and why those things should be inside the building. When I tried to go out, about 10 armed riot police charged towards me, saying no one will go out of the building without the police getting their helmet and baton. Cry, the beloved country, under the AU and SADC chair.
– Luke Tamborinyoka, Morgan Tsvangirai’s Spokesperson.
Zimbabwe’s main opposition party said Thursday that police had closed its headquarters, arguing that they were doing so because they feared an upswing in popular violence following the alleged abduction of an anti-government activist.
Police are investigating the disappearance on Monday of former journalist Itai Dzamara. The government has denied claims by the opposition that he was abducted by state security agents.
The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said police had closed its headquarters following a rally demanding Dzamara’s release on Wednesday.
“Heavily armed police have barricaded our headquarters,” with several party members unable to come out, MDC representative Obert Gutu said. He also accused police of assaulting more than 13 party members after Wednesday’s rally.
There was no immediate comment from the government. Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba defended the heavy police presence in Harare’s central business district, saying police needed to maintain order following the protest, which left at least seven people injured.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai cut short a visit to southern Zimbabwe.
Representatives of civil society organizations meanwhile said they would pressure the Southern African Development Community and the African Union to remove President Robert Mugabe as their chairman if Dzamara did not return.
Mugabe, 91, is the only leader Zimbabweans have known since independence from Britain in 1980.
Sapa-dpa
2 Replies to “Tsvangirai Officers Attacked By Police Bootsmen, Shut Inside”
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They have the energy to look for a helmet and a button stick while they can not look for an abducted innocent civilian.They are crying for tools to beat the people.Shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They have the energy to look for a helmet and a button stick while they can not look for an abducted innocent civilian.They are crying for tools to beat the people.Shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!