'Mupfumi of plotting to sabotage ZimPF rally'

THE opposition Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) has accused Zanu-PF central committee member and Dangamvura/Chikanga legislator, Esau Mupfumi, of plotting to sabotage their party's maiden rally in the eastern border city on Saturday.

Mujuru told her supporters during the rally that some party members had been ordered to boycott her rally in exchange for residential stands being rolled out by the ruling party.

ZimPF national executive member and former MDC-T senator, Patrick Chitaka, also claimed that Mupfumi hastily organised a Zanu-PF inter-district meeting in Dangamvura to coincide with Mujuru's rally.

"There was a meeting in Dangamvura. It was meant to sabotage our meeting, but people defied that and they came in their numbers," he said.

But Mupfumi yesterday scoffed at the reports, saying: "Dangamvura is my constituency. My constituency does not support Joice Mujuru because she has nothing to offer. People have freedom to express what they want. I did not have any hand in urging people not to attend their rally. They should just concede that it was a flop.

"There was an inter-district meeting for the leadership in Mutare at Queens Hall around 2pm and I was dispatched in Chiredzi for another inter-district meeting. There were inter-district meetings, which were being done countrywide."

Meanwhile, ZimPF activist Clemence Marabada, who was arrested last Thursday for allegedly undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe, has been released.

Marabada, who spent two nights in cells at Mutare Central Police Station, was released on Saturday a few hours before Mujuru's rally.

His lawyer, Simon Simango of Nyikadzino, Simango and Associates, confirmed the development yesterday.

"My client has been released after spending two nights in the police cells," he said

According to Simango, Marabada exchanged harsh words with a Zanu-PF political commissar in Sakubva, while he was distributing ZimPF fliers publicising the Saturday rally.

Simango said a heated argument ensued between Marabada and the Zanu-PF member and the accused is reported to have said: "Who is Mugabe and what is Zanu-PF?"