Kuwadzana residents retaliate against police assaults

By Tererai Karimakwenda
22 February 2007

Residents in the Kuwadzana high-density suburb of Harare are reported to have attacked a police support unit Wednesday evening after the police assaulted innocent patrons in nightclubs and pubs. Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa spoke to several victims who said the police assaults started in Kuwadzana 2 and spread to the Kuwadzana 4 shopping centre around 9:30 PM. Some victims said the police were accusing everyone in sight of ignoring a ban on public meetings which had appeared in the state media earlier that same day. They described how teargas was thrown into pubs forcing people to run out and head for their homes. Muchemwa said many were assaulted as they tried to escape and others hit back out of anger and frustration. Several warning shots are reported to have been fired.

The ban being cited by police was announced Wednesday by the officer commanding Harare South district, Chief Superintendent Thomsen Jangara, via a notice in The Herald newspaper. It said the ban was for a temporary three-month period and had been issued under Section 27 of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). The Tsvamgirai MDC condemned the move saying it amounted to a state of emergency. Civic groups have also criticised it as an infringement on the rights of citizens.

Muchemwa said some angry residents hit back or threw rocks at the police. They said one police officer was assaulted and police fired warning shots in the air to free him from the angry mob. No arrests were reported Wednesday and police were patrolling the Kuwadzana area Thursday. Muchemwa explained that street vendors have been affected greatly by the police presence. Their goods are being lost or destroyed during running battles with police.

Kuwadzana and several suburbs in Harare South district have been the target of a police operation aimed at harassing opposition officials and supporters who were blocked from attending a Tsvangirai MDC rally on Sunday.