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Deputy national spokesperson Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka urged the media to verify and authenticate their reports with the police before publishing unsubstantiated stories likely to cause alarm and despondency.
“The ZRP is utterly disturbed, dismayed and worried at the level and pace at which the private media is publishing false political violence reports calculated to portray a false picture of events and mislead the nation and the entire world into believing that there is political violence when in fact the country enjoys wholesome peace,” said Chief Supt Mandipaka.
His concerns followed stories published by the private media alleging that a family was attacked in Chipinge, while another case of political violence erupted in Zvimba.
Chief Supt Mandipaka said according to reports, the Chipinge incident in which Cannias and Florence Mamweni were pictured with their hands in slings was not a case of political violence.
“The story alleges that four members of the Chipinge family were on Thursday attacked by a suspected Zanu-PF militia for supporting MDC-T as violence escalates ahead of the forthcoming elections,” he said.
“Yet the assault was a result of a family feud which dates back to July 2006 in which Jacob Voice Makanyaka Marukani is alleged to have been assaulted to death by Kelvin and Cannias Mamweni on allegations of stock theft.
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“Cannias Mamweni was once arrested after being implicated in the murder of Jacob Voice Makanyaka Marukani.”
Chief Supt Mandipaka said investigations revealed that the Chipinge complainants were assaulted on March 27 at Simon Mamweni’s homestead by Phillip Marukani, Elias Madlazi, Paidamoyo Marikani and Mazano Madlazi.
He said they arrested two of the four suspects – Mazano Madlazi and Elias Madlazi – for the assault case.
Chief Supt Mandipaka dismissed reports that there were 10 reported cases of political violence between last Monday and Friday in the area.
He said the Zvimba incident in which the alleged MDC-T activist, Wilson Anderson (35) of Snake World was reported to have been attacked by alleged Zanu-PF youths on March 25 was false.
Chief Supt Mandipaka said Anderson was attacked by Moses Sande (26) of Lion and Cheetah Park whose political affiliation was not known to the police.
The two were drinking beer at Churu Bottle Store at Snake World when a misunderstanding over a girlfriend ensued.
“It is unfortunate that a mere assault case at a beer drink would appear in the print media as political violence,” said Chief Supt Mandipaka.
He said the country enjoyed total peace as it moved towards the harmonised elections and assured the nation of safety and security.
Online Reporter