Government continues arrests and interrogations

By Tererai Karimakwenda and Violet Gonda
20 February 2007

There are reports that police have continued arresting and intimidating opposition officials and supporters who attended the Sunday rally organised by the Tsvangirai MDC and which was illegally banned by the police. Skirmishes broke out when the police defied a high court order allowing the rally to go ahead and used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Over a hundred people were injured, some seriously. But police are now claiming that MDC supporters went on a rampage in the Highfield area. On this basis police continued searching for opposition officials and supporters Tuesday. Many are believed to be in hiding.

On Tuesday the MDC Ward Chairman and aspiring Mayoral candidate for Marondera, Mr. Muzhambe, was reported to have been arrested at his home early Tuesday morning. Not much information has been made available about his arrest and it is not clear where he is being detained. Agents from the CID Law and Disorder section are also reported to be arresting all those known to have tried to attend the banned Tsvangirai rally.

On Tuesday police were also reported to have quizzed activist Collin Gwiyo at his home in Chitungwiza in connection with another demo which took place Friday. They said they would return after investigating. There are also unconfirmed reports that several officials in the Tsvangirai MDC are in hiding fearing arrest or assault in the aftermath of the banned Sunday rally.

Meanwhile nine officials and supporters of the Tsvangirai-MDC who were arrested by police Saturday appeared in court Tuesday and were released on Z$50,000 bail each. The accused, excluding secretary general Tendai Biti and Glen View MP Paul Madzore, told the court they had been severely assaulted by police while in custody and would press charges.

Biti told SW Radio Africa about two of the activists who were tortured in police custody. “I saw them. Vunganayi Tapfumaneyi was actually tortured and when the bail application was made today he couldn’t even walk. I saw him. He was bleeding. His head was cracked. They had beaten him. They beat and tortured Vunganayi Tapfumaneyi and Walter Chinhamora.”

The opposition legislator also alleged the activists were forced to make false statements. He added: “In fact what happened was when I got to Law and Order, when I was arrested, they actually had a statement prepared by Walter Chinhamora. An affidavit form. And you could tell that it was the CIO who had prepared it because this was typed and printed on a nice word document whereas normal police are still using Remington typewriters – which belong in a museum. So you could see the hand of the CIO there."

Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa who was at the court hearing on Tuesday said the magistrate ordered the police to investigate the assault allegations and submit a report. Muchemwa said this received an angry response from the packed courtroom because the police were being asked to investigate themselves. Several people including MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa were thrown out of the court for responding loudly to the judges suggestion.