by Irene Madongo
27 June 2011
People who attended a Harare Residents Trust meeting (HRT) were left terrified after ZANU PF youths gate crashed the event and beat up guests and members.
The meeting was held on Saturday at the Mbare Netball Complex, with the aim of discussing issues affecting residents, such as the problems with power shedding and refuse collection. Officials from local government and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority were also among those present.
However, a ZANU PF mob appeared and unleashed terror. Among those who were severely beaten was Precious Shumba, HRT co-ordinator and founder, who had to be taken to hospital. Although now discharged he is still too unwell to attend work.
Simbarashe Majamanda, the HRT’s membership officer, said: “A group of ZANU PF youths came to Mbare Netball Complex, singing revolutionary songs with missiles and they blocked the exit. After five minutes they stormed into the stadia and started beating up people, starting with the people who were at the VIP stand and they moved onto the participants. People started jumping over the durawall and in the process so many were injured.”
Majamanda said those present were left traumatised. “The violence that broke out traumatised some of our members who were injured and it had terrified people,” he said.
“This is a clear example that violence still characterises Zimbabwe’s communities and even if we are to prepare for an election in Zimbabwe, you realise that violence is going to characterise our communities,” he explained.
He added that ZANU PF’s Chipangano youth wing were having a meeting in Mbare on the same day, and the HRT had been informed that the youth members planned to cause trouble.
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