Tsvangirai's MDC-T demands end to police HQ siege

THE MDC-T has condemned the continued siege by dozens of anti-riot police at the party's main Harvest House headquarters in central Harare although there has been no attempt so far to break into the party premises.

For yet another day, truncheon wielding police officers decked out in anti-riot gear spent hours on Tuesday positioned outside the MDC-T premises with no word as to their mission.

However, Luke Tamborinyoka, spokesperson for party leader Morgan Tsvangirai, said they suspected the law enforcement agents were out to deter agitated party activists from acting on the former Prime Minister's weekend calls for mass action.

Tsvangirai told a party gathering at Mucheke stadium in Masvingo the MDC-T would stage street demonstrations against President Robert Mugabe's continued failure to create employment for millions of jobless citizens.

"I want to conclude by restating that we have now drawn a line in the sand. We called for dialogue, but our genuine offer was spurned," Tsvangirai said.

"We are sending out a clear and unequivocal message that we reserve our right to mobilise the people for the ultimate people's victory through a free, fair and credible election."

Police Tuesday responded with a conspicuous presence at the premises although their chief spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba professed ignorance about the deployment.

"I am not aware of that. I work at the (police) headquarters and if no one briefs me about such deployment, I would not be aware," Charamba said.

Tamborinyoka told NewZimbabwe.com his party was amazed by the police deployment.

"You can't lay siege at Harvest House," Tamborinyoka said.

"They think people who demonstrate would suddenly pour out from Harvest House. It's the general masses who demonstrate and they would obviously be coming from their homes."

He added: "Our suspicion though is that they want to instil fear in the staff at Harvest House.

"We suspect it has something to do with the recent statement by the (MDC-T) president that the MDC is going to be supporting any sector that goes onto the streets making legitimate demands on what he calls the national grievances.

"But we are obviously not going to be deterred. We believe that the right to petition and demonstrate is enshrined in the Zimbabwean constitution, a fairly legitimate right for people to protest and to hold demonstrations."

Police have, in the past few days, crashed demonstrations staged by MDC-T youths to press for scarce jobs promised by President Mugabe and his party when they were re-elected into government.