'Violence has been imported to the MDC-T,' says Biti

MOVEMENT for Democratic Change (MDC) Secretary General, Tendai Biti, has said he and his family were left in shock after the second petrol bombing of their Harare home this week. Biti says he never supported Zanu-PF because of violence and for violence to be imported to the MDC-T it's totally abnormal, total unacceptable.

Unknown arsonists petrol-bombed Biti's Highlands home in the early hours of Tuesday, causing minor damages to a guardroom.

Biti said his young children had been traumatised by the incident.

"Personally I have been touched; this is the second bombing at my residence. In fact I ran away from the previous house to actually come and hide in the little closet that I thought I was hiding probably to avoid these kinds of things," he said.

"My children are very young; my last child is 8 years old, my daughter is 13 years of age. My brother was there (at home) along with my cousin sisters whom I look after.

"They were (all) very traumatised by the event more-so by the overwhelming police presence, coming in and going out, they know that what I do is very risky to actually see it firsthand it was very traumatic".

The former finance minister said he had no idea who the culprits were. He also does not know who the owner of the white vehicle that appears on CCTV footage was either.

"Actually I have no idea, I think the police should be allowed to do their job," he said.

"I think they have somewhere to start from. They have the CCTV footage, so hopefully they can magnify the footage so that the number plate can be picked up or even the individuals."

He however insisted that there is no room for violence in Zimbabwe.

"We don't condone violence and we don't accept violence - whether internal or external. No Zimbabwean has a right to subject another one to violence.

"Some of us never supported Zanu-PF, but one of the key distinguishing features which we did not like about Zanu-PF was violence, so for violence to be imported to the MDC, I think it's totally abnormal, total unacceptable."

The party (MDC-T) also issued a statement about the attack, blaming it on the "enemies of the party".

"MDC has learnt with shock and disgust the bomb attack on the house of Secretary General Tendai Biti in the early hours of yesterday today(Tuesday), the party unreservedly condemns this cowardly act.

"It is clear that the attack is the work of the enemies of the MDC who want to portray the Party as violent, we regret the anguish that this dastardly act does bring on the Biti family. This is definitely the acts on enemies of the MDC."