Police identify rowdy youths

afternoon and attacked several mourners, including Zanu-PF supporters who wanted to bury a colleague.
The youths were part of a group that was unveiling a tombstones at Warren Hills Cemetery at a function attended by MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai among other officials.
According to a police report, four policemen were injured while four commuter omnibuses, a marked police vehicle and several other cars in the cemetery were damaged by the stone throwing youths.
Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector James Sabau yesterday said no arrests had been made and investigations were still in progress.
“We are verifying and identifying some of the suspects whose pictures came out in the local media as our investigations continue,” he said.
He said they were also going to account for other suspects even though they did not appear in the media but were involved in the violence.
Insp Sabau said the police would not hesitate to bring to book anyone found on the wrong side of the law.
“We would also want to urge supporters that if they have their own differences at their workplaces, they should not politicise or use their political parties as an excuse to fight each other.
“Because information that we have is that some of these youths were touts who identified their colleagues and started attacking them,” he said.
The mourners and Zanu-PF supporters had gone to the cemetery to bury Farai alias Fatso who was a conductor who died after being knocked down by a car along Simon Mazorodze Road.
When they arrived at the cemetery, they saw over 300 MDC-T supporters and buses offloading several others.
A few minutes later, the MDC-T youths became rowdy and charged towards them.
Last Wednesday, PM Tsvangirai was quoted describing Zanu-PF “as merchants of death” and alleged that there was continued violence in the country.
He also attacked Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri for alleged selective application of the law.
Last month, Police Commissioner-General Chihuri warned unruly elements behind political violence that the force was ready and out in full force to maintain law and order.
He said the force was going to remain resilient and very tough on the ground.
Comm-Gen Chihuri’s sentiments came in the wake of political violence, which was being perpetrated by the MDC-T in and around the city.
He said some of the people were stage managing violence and created chaos to give an impression that there was mayhem and anarchy in the country.
Recent investigations by the police revealed that the MDC-T was behind some of the political violence being perpetrated in and around the city this year.
President Mugabe is on record calling on his partners in the Inclusive Government to organise joint meetings with the Zanu-PF leadership to encourage rival party supporters to desist from political violence.
The President’s call is still to be heeded.