Released MDC MP blasts ZANU-PF over Mabvuku violence

By Tererai Karimakwenda

24 July 2006

Timothy Mubhawu, the MDC MP for Mabvuku who was released from police custody last week after being arrested in connection with the assault on Trudy Stevenson and 4 other opposition officials on July 2 nd has blasted ZANU-PF for setting up the incident. He said he did not take part in the attack on Stevenson and the others and does not own the blue truck that was allegedly used by the perpetrators. The MP said he believes he was arrested for one simple purpose, which is that ZANU-PF wants to portray the Tsvangirai MDC as a violent party.

Mubhawu told us that ZANU-PF fears the pending mass action that the opposition has called for because they know the MDC and Tsvangirai are the people. He said mass action is coming and even children and the elderly know this. So for this reason he believes the ruling party is trying to paint a picture that he is a violent man and so is the party that he belongs to and its leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

As for his time in prison, Mubhawu said there are lice and disease that are rampant in the cells and a serious shortage of food. He said the prisoners are given only one meal a day and it is not even nutritious. He explained that this type of existence is equal to torture. Personally Mubhawu said he was embarrassed and humiliated by the police because they kept moving him from cell to cell. And anyone seen talking to him was also moved away to other cells.

Mubhawu said this is not the first time ZANU-PF has done this sort of thing. He reminded us that Cain Nkala in Bulawayo was killed and MDC officials were arrested. He mentioned the death of MDC spokesman Leonard Jongwe in prison and the arrest of the former MP for Mbare Tichaona Munyanyi as examples of the attempt to colour the MDC as a violent party. Mubhawu said ZANU-PF even tried to convict Morgan Tsvangirai of treason for this reason. But he said that Tsvangirai has resisted all of this and remained peaceful.

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