News / National
Gunshots in Harare CBD as 'MDC-T' activists clash with traders
03 Jan 2018 at 06:05hrs | Views
Suspected gunshots rang in the Harare central business district yesterday evening as suspected MDC-T activists and cellphone traders engaged in running battles.
The battles started slightly after 5pm, when the suspected MDC-T members allegedly tried to grab the wares of the traders, who operate along Angwa Street between Kwame Nkrumah and Jason Moyo.
NewsDay claims to have been at scene and spoke to one of the cellphone dealers involved in the skirmishes, who declined to be named.
"These MDC guys always come and take our wares everyday, but today, we just said no and decided to fight back," he said.
"We have put up with them too much and now we are fighting back."
Witnesses, who spoke to the publication, said the fight started when the MDC-T activists allegedly approached the traders.
The dealers responded by throwing stones at the party members, driving them back. It is alleged that some dealers fired two gun shots, pegging back the MDC-T members.
Shops in the area quickly responded by ending business early and closing shop.
The MDC-T activists allegedly responded by throwing stones back at the cellphone dealers, but were quickly overwhelmed by the increasing numbers of the dealers, who came wielding rods and a gun.
The battles were quelled after an hour and half when riot police arrived on the scene and dispersed the two groups.
Efforts to get a comment from the police or MDC-T were fruitless last night.
The battles started slightly after 5pm, when the suspected MDC-T members allegedly tried to grab the wares of the traders, who operate along Angwa Street between Kwame Nkrumah and Jason Moyo.
NewsDay claims to have been at scene and spoke to one of the cellphone dealers involved in the skirmishes, who declined to be named.
"These MDC guys always come and take our wares everyday, but today, we just said no and decided to fight back," he said.
"We have put up with them too much and now we are fighting back."
The dealers responded by throwing stones at the party members, driving them back. It is alleged that some dealers fired two gun shots, pegging back the MDC-T members.
Shops in the area quickly responded by ending business early and closing shop.
The MDC-T activists allegedly responded by throwing stones back at the cellphone dealers, but were quickly overwhelmed by the increasing numbers of the dealers, who came wielding rods and a gun.
The battles were quelled after an hour and half when riot police arrived on the scene and dispersed the two groups.
Efforts to get a comment from the police or MDC-T were fruitless last night.
Source - NewsDay
