State agents raid home of MDC chairman

By Tererai Karimakwenda
23 March, 2007

The Tsvangirai MDC report that two agents from the Law and Order Division raided the home of their provincial chairman for Manicaland, Godfrey Mafa, in Zimunya on Friday morning enquiring about his whereabouts. Mafa’s wife told them he was in Harare, so the agents proceeded to Sakubva where they arrested the youth chairman Knowledge Nyamhunga and detained him briefly. This harassment of opposition officials comes a day ahead of a rally scheduled for Saturday at Chisamba grounds in Mutare.

Pishai Muchauraya, the information secretary for the MDC in Manicaland, told us the agents who raided Mafa’s home and arrested Nyamhunga were Inspector Mavhenyengwa and Florence Marume. They told Mafa’s wife they were looking for weapons he was storing and tried to force her to reveal where in Harare he was staying. But Mrs. Mafa said she had no idea as she was just a housewife not involved in his political activities.

After arresting Nyamhunga at his home, the agents interrogated him at Mutare police station about a petrol bomb which they claimed was thrown at a section of the station on Thursday. But Muchauraya said the MDC knew nothing about it. He explained that there had been a power cut in Sakubva on Thursday and their sources believe it was candles that were used by the police which started a fire at the station.

Muchauraya said despite the harassment their Saturday rally at Chisamba grounds in Mutare will go ahead. The party notified the police about the event as is required by law, and they were told to check on Friday if they have permission to go ahead. “Permission or no permission it doesn’t matter. We will hold the rally”, said Muchauraya.