Zanu-PF ups anti-Chamisa onslaught

The onslaught on Nelson Chamisa continued yesterday, with Zanu-PF supporters protesting against the opposition leader and threatening to block his motorcade, barely a day after ruling party leader Emmerson Mnangagwa urged his supporters to ignore the MDC Alliance leader.

The Zanu-PF supporters staged a protest along the Harare-Bindura Highway near Glendale in Mashonaland Central province, accusing Chamisa of inviting sanctions to the country.

The protesters threatened to block Chamisa's motorcade which they anticipated would pass through the area on its way to Mt Darwin.

Initially, they denied that the protest was against Chamisa, claiming it was about an alleged farm takeover by an unidentified white farmer.

However, angry youths, who threatened to attack NewsDay reporters for covering their protests, unwittingly revealed that the protest was intended to block Chamisa.

"These are Chamisa people going to cover him in Mt Darwin. He will not pass here and let us block them also. They are with him," the youths claimed.

While the Zanu-PF supporters were toyi-toying, Mnangagwa was preaching peace, dialogue and unity to central committee members at a meeting in Harare.

He called for unity within the ruling party, but was mum on political violence that has rocked the country in recent weeks, where Chamisa has been under siege from ruling party members during his interface meetings with supporters in rural communities.

"I want to reiterate that we are a united, disciplined and peaceful party. Violence, political chicanery and divisive elements have no place in our colossal revolutionary party," Mnangagwa said.

"Under the second republic, we will scale up programmes that enhance dialogue, social cohesion and national unity.

"Upholding constitutionalism, democracy and the rule of law as well as the protection and preservation of our rich cultural heritage is sacrosanct. Similarly, our people deserve the protection of their national pride and dignity."

The central committee marked the beginning of the ruling party's conference set for Bindura, with Mnangagwa expected to officially open the indaba today.

Mnangagwa, addressing politburo members on Wednesday, accused Chamisa of throwing tantrums with the intention of courting international attention at the expense of Zimbabwe. He said the opposition leader should be ignored.

"We should ignore the emotional grandstanding by certain elements of our society," he said.

"We should give them deaf ears as they try to attract international attention, against their own country, shame on them."

For the past two weeks, Zanu-PF supporters have been tracking Chamisa, blocking him and protesting against him "for inviting sanctions".

The onslaught started in Charumbira village, Masvingo. Last week, Chamisa's convoy was blocked by suspected Zanu-PF supporters near Mutare along the Masvingo-Mutare Highway. The MDC Alliance claims Chamisa's car was shot in what they claim to be an assassination plot.