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POLICE have warned squabbling MDC-T leaders to rein in their supporters, warning there will be zero tolerance for violence. The warning came as the MDC-T’s traditional Western allies condemned recent attacks on Morgan Tsvangirai’s rivals for the party leadership.Tsvangirai’s shock troops have targeted secretary general Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma — both leading calls for leadership change — while pursuing a vicious purge of their supporters in the provinces.
The clashes between the rival groups continued in Harare over the weekend.
“This unruly behaviour by the MDC-T confirms the culture of violence entrenched within its party’s structures and leadership,” chief police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said in a statement yesterday.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police will not tolerate such behaviour by the MDC-T supporters and hence no stone will be left unturned in ensuring that perpetrators of violence are arrested and brought to justice.”
Snr Asst Comm Charamba said on February 27 at around 5PM, a Zanu-PF Zengeza 2 North district youth secretary for security, Cde Munyaradzi Sibanda, was assaulted at Localine Sports Bar, Sifra Village Complex, by twin brothers Tafadzwa and Tawanda Machipisa for wearing a Zanu-PF T-shirt with President Mugabe’s portrait.
Cde Sibanda was bruised all over his body and had a swollen right eye.
On March 1, at around noon, MDC-T chairman for Chitungwiza ward 12, Talent Nyakunungwa, was assaulted in intra-party violence by five MDC-T supporters led by John Kutiya, who is vying for the district chairmanship.
The clashes followed the postponement of a meeting to elect the party’s district leaders. The five suspects kicked and punched Nyakunungwa until he fell unconscious and sustained a deep cut on the head and a swollen lip.
In Budiriro 2, Snr Asst Comm Charamba said, a group of MDC-T supporters dressed in party regalia and driving in two vehicles without number plates pounced on revellers at Ndikwidzei Bar on Monday and assaulted patrons with sjamboks and some unknown metal objects.
They were accusing them of supporting the MDC-T faction allegedly led by Biti. The thugs proceeded to Jop Bar at Budiriro 3 shopping centre and again assaulted patrons.
Among the patrons who fell victim were Paina Tapera, 34, Tonderai Musonza, 43, Allen Manyanga, 34, Lilian Kwebe, 31, and Felix Mutenhere, 28.
Manyanga and Tapera sustained serious injuries and were referred to Harare Central Hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, a Glen Norah couple has claimed that it was severely assaulted with an iron bar by a commuter omnibus driver suspected to be an MDC-T supporter.
They said the driver was angry that they were wearing Zanu-PF T-Shirts.
The growing violence in the MDC-T has led the United States, Australia and Canada to all issue statements urging the party to show tolerance to divergent views — seen as a signal to Tsvangirai not to stifle the leadership change debate with violence.
Online Reporter