by Irene Madongo
28 June 2011
The MDC-T says the police are continuing to arrest MDC-T members over the death of a police inspector and are using his death as an excuse to arrest and harass MDC supporters. The party also maintains that the police are trying to use this killing to portray the MDC-T as a violent organisation.
MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora says so far 25 supporters have been arrested since the death last month
Police inspector Petros Mutedza was killed at a nightclub in Glen View, Harare. Police say he was killed by MDC-T supporters but the party denies this, saying he was killed after a fight broke out with drinkers at a shopping centre in Glen View.
“In connection with the latest spate of arrests, the murder of the policeman is just an excuse to harass MDC activists, especially the youth,” Mwonzora said. “The arrest of 25 people shows the police do not know who actually committed the offence, and that is unlikely to improve by arresting more people.”
Mwonzora pointed to the recent arrest of MDC-T activist Washington Tirivangani, who was picked up while distributing party newsletters. Tirivangani is a councillor from Makonde district in Mashonaland West.
On Monday Tendai Chinyama, the MDC-T’s Kambuzuma district organising secretary was also remanded in custody by a Harare magistrate over the death. Chinyama was abducted last Thursday at his workplace in Belvedere, Harare. Also on Monday, the courts postponed the hearing of a bail application filed by some of the other MDC-T supporters still being held. They are Councillor Oddrey Sydney Chirombe of Ward 33 in Budiriro, and two MDC employees, Jepheas Moyo and Abina Rutsito.
Meanwhile the first group of 20 other supporters being held over the death are still waiting for the court to make a ruling on their bail application, a ruling which has been repeatedly postponed.
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