State agents raid home of MDC chairman

By Tererai Karimakwenda
26 March, 2007

The state agents who raided the home of the Tsvangirai MDC chairman for Manicaland Godfrey Mafa last Friday have arrested 2 more MDC officials in Mutare. On Saturday Inspector Mavhenyengwa and Inspector Florence Marume arrested the vice chairperson for Ward 4 Gilbert Mhanda over the alleged petrol-bombing of a police station in Mutare last week. Then on Monday they arrested the ward 4 chairperson Edson Kalulu and charged him with participating in the same bombing. It is believed they have both refused to sign warned and cautioned statements.

The information secretary for the MDC in Manicaland, Pishai Muchauraya, said there is no evidence linking either of them to the petrol bombing of the police station in Mutare. According to him, Inspector Mavhenyengwa said he did not have any evidence but he was following orders from above. Muchauraya described the 2 inspectors as ruthless sheep who just follow orders from their bosses in Harare. He said Inspector Florence Marume is known as an official in the Methodist Church in the province yet she was one of the state agents who supervised the bulldozing of houses during Operation Murambatsvina. The pair has terrorised opposition officials and supporters in Mutare for a number of years.

Muchauraya said the atmosphere in Mutare is not peaceful because it feels like a war zone. He said there are armed police and soldiers on many streets, particularly in the high-density area of Sakubva. The MDC in the province received information that police teams have been brought into the Mutare area from Chpinge, Birchenough and Rusape.

Muchauraya told us last week that the MDC officials have nothing to do with the petrol bomb that was allegedly thrown at a section of Mutare police station. He also suspected there was a fire at the station last Thursday which was started by candles being used by police. The whole town had been hit by a power cut.