Cops harass Bulawayo residents

Mthwakazi Republic Party has made sensational claims that Zimbabwe Republic Police harass Bulawayo residents ahead of Robert Mugabe's visit to the city.

The party said it has come to its attention that the ruling party is now aware that it is no longer popular among citizens to the extent that they are now fearing for an uprising against the government.

"The country's economic woes have become so severe that people are now spending long hours in bank queues, while most of those pensioners who are now based in rural areas have resorted to sleeping at bank queues on the pavements in the streets risking their lives in the process, while anticipating to get their savings the next day which is not always guaranteed," said MRP.

"The unemployment rate is now way above 90percent forcing many to sell on the streets thereby causing a menace in the towns and cities. According to a police officer who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, the government is no longer comfortable with availability of large numbers of people in one place especially in Bulawayo. They fear that people can easily be mobalised for an uprising when they are in one place and this is now worrying Mugabe and his government."

MRP said in Bulawayo and Harare one can easily find plus or minus 20 thousand people in one place particularly places like Mbare Musika or Egodini in Bulawayo.

"As you can see there is a joint operation to cleanup the city ahead of the President's visit and we are targeting at removing all pirate taxis, commuters and vendors we want to remove all of them here so that the President and his team can freely come to Bulawayo. Said the police officer We have been noticing police in anti riot gear in their armored vehicles and several known and unknown CIOs Cris- crossing the city of Bulawayo. There are close to a thousand vehicles that have been impounded by police and are being parked both at Ross camp and drill hall," said the party.

"While police have also been pushing to evict vendors to no avail. Police yesterday had running battles with some commuter omnibus operators after some of the omnibus crews became violent accusing police of both tribalism, favouritism and nepotism, as we have always been complaining about it. Most of the pirate vehicles in Bulawayo are owned by police officers, most of illegal vendors are either police officers themselves or their wives and this is public knowledge at eGodini terminus.'

the party said it is also the police officers that are supplying vendors with pirated DVDs and CDs as well as frozen juicy and water for sale.

"Some of the people that are connected to police they don't get arrested they are always spared. As if that is not enough foreign currency dealers who are Shona they dont get arrested, they even brag about it. They have now taken over the places around Chicken inn at tradgold where you find them freely counting large amounts of monies in different currencies. We have seen even police officers in uniforms changing money from Osphatheleni, yet they are suppose to be the law enforcers, but if our own Ndebele people try it they are arrested same time," said MRP.

"As Mthwakazi Republic Party we condemn such kind of Human Right abuses we say hands off our people, stop harassing and beating up our people. We witnessed yesterday police officers smashing people's vehicles windscreens and we condemn such kind of behavior. If Mugabe was elected by people then let him freely come to meet his supporters, like we do when we go to meet our own supporters. Why intimidate people or chase them from town if they like you? After all they didnt do vending by choice. "Benziwa ngumumo welizwe" Asifuni Bumbulu leave our people alone. Kanti liyasihlolela yini. Yithi Abantu Abantu Yithi For peace and justice in our life time MRP Information Department."