Anti-riot police thwart pro-Machaya demo

Anti-riot police in Gweru yesterday thwarted a demonstration organised by a group of Zanu-PF supporters calling for the quashing of the ouster of Midlands provincial chair Jason Machaya.

Machaya's sympathisers reportedly planned the demonstrations hours before the Central Committee elections at the Zanu-PF conference centre.

Officials in Machaya's camp claimed police were deployed to intimidate their supporters who wanted to make a statement that ousted chairman was unfairly dismissed.

Meanwhile, over 30 riot police officers have been deployed to guard Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti's offices at Benjamin Burombo Government Complex, amid fears of impending demonstrations against him by war veterans.

The police officers in full riot gear are now manning the entire Benjamin Burombo complex, where Minister Bhasikiti's offices are housed, on a daily basis from 8am to 4pm.

Sources said the riot police were deployed to protect Minister Bhasikiti in the event the war veterans try to stage a violent demonstration against him.

Masvingo war veterans' provincial vice chairman Charles Muchena confirmed that war veterans in the province planned to demonstrate against Minister Bhasikiti.

Muchena said they had already applied for police permission to stage the protests, adding that they will go ahead with the demonstrations even if they failed to get clearance.

He said war veterans were not happy with the treatment given to illegal settlers in Masvingo East after their homes were torched by police for invading black-owned farms.