Police shoot dead MDC supporter in Highfield clashes

Police shoot dead MDC supporter in Highfield clashes

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By Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWEAN police Sunday shot dead an opposition supporter in the restive Highfield suburb, where police earlier prevented a church-led prayer rally from taking place, state radio reported.

A supporter of the Movement for Democratic Change was shot and killed by the police after a group of about 200 MDC supporters attacked police officers at Gazaland Shopping Centre in Highfield, the radio said.

It said three police officers were seriously injured after they were stoned and kicked by youths. A bus and a police vehicle were also torched by what the radio said were rowdy opposition supporters.

Earlier, the radio said that police had maintained peace and calm in the suburb, a hotbed of opposition support after arresting the two leaders of the splintered MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutamnbara.

In a statement the MDC identified the victim of the shooting as party activist Gift Tandare. The party claimed he had been shot in cold blood.

"Police are now using live ammunition on innocent unarmed people," the party's organising secretary, Elias Mudzuri, said in the statement.

State radio claimed that MDC supporters also hijacked a bus from the state-run ZUPCO bus company, beat up passengers and robbed them of their money and mobile phones.

A pregnant woman on the bus who was assaulted miscarried, the report said.

Earlier, police arrested Tsvangirai, as well as Mutambara for trying to attend a prayer rally organised by the church-led Save Zimbabwe Campaign (SZC).

The group is pushing for a political solution to the country's mounting economic and social problems, marked by inflation of more than 1,700 percent, and spiralling inflation and poverty. - dpa
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