Opposition MP assaulted at rally

By Lance Guma

05 December 2005

An opposition Member of Parliament for Mabvuku, Timothy Mubhawu was assaulted by party youths at a weekend rally in Highfields, Harare. The legislator was kicked and punched inside a football pitch shortly before party president Morgan Tsvangirai arrived to address the crowd. Reports indicate that the mob accused Mubhawu of supporting the pro-senate faction of the MDC and said he was not welcome at Tsvangirai’s rally.

Mubhawu’s position on the senate issue is not clear, but the youths understood him to have made pro-senate statements. A correspondent for AFP saw the mob chasing the legislator before he drove off in a truck. Shortly afterwards, Tsvangirai condemned the attack saying there was no basis for beating up anyone and that the MDC does not have a policy of violence. Nelson Chamisa the acting spokesperson for the party told Newsreel the MDC has already apologised to Mubhawu and his family for the incident.

The MP was already back at work performing his duties in the party and Chamisa added that they had set up a committee to investigate the incident and those responsible will face disciplinary action.