News / National
Police, Zanu-PF pull blank faces over Bindura rally by Musanhi
06 Feb 2021 at 01:58hrs | Views
POLICE and Zanu-PF both say they were not aware Bindura North MP Kenneth Musanhi held a rally last week in defiance of government's lockdown measures against gatherings.
Police, instead, pleaded for anyone with information on the incident to come forward and report the matter.
Musanhi, a Zanu-PF politburo member, last week addressed a Bindura rally attended by close to a hundred party loyalists, many of whom had no facemasks on with some wearing them improperly.
Some video images of the rally went viral on WhatsApp.
Police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi referred NewZimbabwe.com to Mashonaland Central provincial spokesperson Milton Mundembe.
"Do you mind speaking to provincial spokesperson for Mashonaland Central," Nyathi said.
Mundembe, on his part, said police in the province were not aware of the rally referred to.
"I'm not aware. Maybe, I will need to check with our records, but we are not privy to that information," he said.
"We act upon information that we know. From our end, there is no sacred cow. We arrest anyone who is bound to be arrested.
"I might not be in the WhatsApp group where that information was shared. If we happen to find anything, the long arm of the law will eventually take its course."
Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo also said the ruling party was not aware of said rally.
He questioned why police were not arresting the top politician like they usually do with ordinary citizens caught violating Covid-19 regulations.
"I don't know, I was not even here (Harare)," Moyo said.
"The police officers are the ones who know better. They have been arresting people. So why don't they do that. I have seen some people in police trucks. So, what are these law enforcement agents saying?
"The President was emphatic even in his Thursday state of the nation address that we must abide by (Covid-19) protocols and regulations."
Musanhi is the latest top Zanu-PF official to hold an event attended by dozens of persons in violation of the country's measures against the pandemic.
Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa late last year hosted a high-profile birthday bash which was also attended by a handful cabinet ministers who were seen whooping it up with bare noses.
The bash was also attended by Transport Minister Joel Biggie Matiza who has since died from Civid-19 although there is no evidence he contracted the virus from the event.
Mnangagwa's close ally Kudakwashe Tagwireyi also hosted a bash on New Year's Eve.
He was recently reported in the media as having been airlifted to China on a health induced trip linked to Covid-19.
None of the wily businessman's relatives and associates have disputed the information.
Coincidentally, Tagwireyi's bash ran concurrently with Zim-dancehall makers Fantan, Levels and Dammer's well subscribed New Year's Eve bash in Mbare, Harare.
The three were slapped with six-month jail sentences for the offence.
Police, instead, pleaded for anyone with information on the incident to come forward and report the matter.
Musanhi, a Zanu-PF politburo member, last week addressed a Bindura rally attended by close to a hundred party loyalists, many of whom had no facemasks on with some wearing them improperly.
Some video images of the rally went viral on WhatsApp.
Police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi referred NewZimbabwe.com to Mashonaland Central provincial spokesperson Milton Mundembe.
"Do you mind speaking to provincial spokesperson for Mashonaland Central," Nyathi said.
Mundembe, on his part, said police in the province were not aware of the rally referred to.
"I'm not aware. Maybe, I will need to check with our records, but we are not privy to that information," he said.
"We act upon information that we know. From our end, there is no sacred cow. We arrest anyone who is bound to be arrested.
"I might not be in the WhatsApp group where that information was shared. If we happen to find anything, the long arm of the law will eventually take its course."
Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo also said the ruling party was not aware of said rally.
He questioned why police were not arresting the top politician like they usually do with ordinary citizens caught violating Covid-19 regulations.
"I don't know, I was not even here (Harare)," Moyo said.
"The police officers are the ones who know better. They have been arresting people. So why don't they do that. I have seen some people in police trucks. So, what are these law enforcement agents saying?
"The President was emphatic even in his Thursday state of the nation address that we must abide by (Covid-19) protocols and regulations."
Musanhi is the latest top Zanu-PF official to hold an event attended by dozens of persons in violation of the country's measures against the pandemic.
Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa late last year hosted a high-profile birthday bash which was also attended by a handful cabinet ministers who were seen whooping it up with bare noses.
The bash was also attended by Transport Minister Joel Biggie Matiza who has since died from Civid-19 although there is no evidence he contracted the virus from the event.
Mnangagwa's close ally Kudakwashe Tagwireyi also hosted a bash on New Year's Eve.
He was recently reported in the media as having been airlifted to China on a health induced trip linked to Covid-19.
None of the wily businessman's relatives and associates have disputed the information.
Coincidentally, Tagwireyi's bash ran concurrently with Zim-dancehall makers Fantan, Levels and Dammer's well subscribed New Year's Eve bash in Mbare, Harare.
The three were slapped with six-month jail sentences for the offence.
Source - newzimbabwe
