Tendai Biti lies about Harare fatal shooting

MDC Alliance deputy national chairperson Mr Tendai Biti has been caught lying after alleging that the State was behind the fatal shooting of a 40-year-old man during a dispute over parking in Harare on Wednesday.

The man was shot in the head by a 24-year-old motorist following an altercation over parking space at the corner of Angwa Street and Kwame Nkrumah Avenue just next to QV Pharmacy in Harare.

Mr Biti's attempts to whip up emotions against the Government hit a brick wall when his lies were exposed by witnesses to the shooting incident, who dismissed his claims as shameless falsehoods.

Posting on his Twitter timeline on Wednesday, Mr Biti wrote: "The junta has shot down two people in Harare's CBD this morning. The blatant fascism of this murderous regime is totally unacceptable. Surely the citizens can't live in perpetual fear of State hooliganism.

"Human life needs to be respected. There is no cause or reason which justifies the taking away of a life by the State. Not even capital punishment. How ironic is it that they are murdering people on the International Day Against Capital Punishment."

Even self-exiled former Cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, in a rare moment of reason, having lately devoted most of his time to needless attacks on the Government, questioned the truth behind Mr Biti's claims before posting a police statement on the incident.

A Twitter user @mapfumon said Mr Biti was offside and exaggerating things. "You are offside Biti. Was there myself. It was some touts vs a civilian who was armed. Please we don't want such extents of exaggeration and misinformation please," said the user.

Another user @xandatoto responded: "This is grossly irresponsible. A national leader shamelessly spreading falsehoods. Munasvoda."

Adding to the criticism, @tpericson hit out at Mr Biti posting: "Remorselessly lying this 'Tendai Biti', I was there and a civilian shot another over a raw deal. No wonder our country is in a mess right now. Focus on having people's lives better not lying so that some day you assume power, such selfishness, shame. Should it not be people first?"

Not a stranger to controversy, Mr Biti is facing charges of contravening Section 66A (1) of the Electoral Amendment Act Chapter 2:13, which prohibits the unofficial or false declaration of election results. He is alleged to have unlawfully declared MDC Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa as winner of the presidential elections held on July 30.