Zimbabwe MP, seven others arrested

Zimbabwe MP, seven others arrested

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By Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWEAN police have arrested an MP and high ranking official of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) while he was trying to report an assault and stoning of his car by suspected ruling party militants, the party said Thursday.

Gift Chimanikire, the Member of Parliament for Mbare and deputy secretary general of the MDC, was detained at Mbare police station a few minutes after he was chased by screaming Zanu PF youths when he turned up at the official opening of the informal green vegetable market in his constituency. Vice President Joseph Msika was the guest of honour at the event.

His car was stoned and bodyguards assaulted, the party's secretary for information, Paul Themba Nyathi, said in a statement.

"He was arrested together with his three bodyguards and four other MDC youths," Nyathi said. "Chimanikire had attended the official opening in his capacity as the MP for Mbare. On arrival, Chimanikire was greeted by a hostile Zanu PF contingent that was led by the 2005 parliamentary election losing candidates for Mbare and Zengeza, Tendai Savanhu and Christopher Chigumba, who were singing anti-MDC songs."

Nyathi added: "Some elements of the Zanu PF youth wing notoriously referred to as “Chipangano” descended on Chimanikire and forced him out of his seat. They demanded that he should leave as his presence was not welcome. They assaulted his bodyguards with clinched fists and sticks. This attack took place in the presence of the police."

Police were not immediately available to confirm either the incident reported by the MDC or Chimanikire's his arrest.

"Chimanikire left under a barrage of missile attack from the group. When he made the report at Mbare Police, he was told that he was under arrest. We have no details yet as to what charges have been preferred on him," Nyathi said.

Nyathi said the irony was that the MDC had been accused of not attending state functions in the past.

"We hope now that the people of Zimbabwe and the world at large will understand why attending such functions risks lives and limb. We strongly condemn the behaviour of some ZANU PF senior officials who still believe that violence against those who hold divergent views to theirs is the answer to the national crisis," he said.
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