News / National
Wanted Mthwakazi President won't surrender to 'murderers'
13 Mar 2021 at 06:43hrs | Views
DEFIANT Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) leader Mqondisi Moyo has vowed he will not hand himself over to the police, insisting state security agents were ‘murderers' plotting to assassinate him.
Police in Bulawayo are reportedly on a manhunt for Moyo after he led a group of party activists last Monday to intervene in farm ownership wrangle between white farmer Brian Davies and Floyd Ambrose in Ntabazinduna, Matabeleland North province.
Ambrose, the son-in-law of former Vice President Kembo Mohadi, continues to occupy Tabas Induna Farm defying a High Court order for him to vacate the property.
Davies then sought the assistance of Moyo and his supporters to remove Ambrose from the farm last Monday. On arrival at Tabs Induna Farm on the day, Ambrose and his workers were forced to flee into the bush and fire gunshots at the MRP activists.
However, following the dramatic incident, army and police officers in civilian clothing allegedly raided Moyo's house in the wee hours of Wednesday in an attempt to arrest him.
The MRP leader was reportedly not around when the raid was conducted.
In retaliation to the raid, MRP activists Thursday stormed Bulawayo Central Police Station protesting over Moyo's alleged harassment by state security agents. Nine MRP activists were arrested during the demonstrations and have since appeared in court and remanded in custody facing charges of public violence.
In an interview with NewZimbabwe.com from his hideout Friday, a defiant Moyo said he had no intention to surrender himself over to the police.
"I will not hand myself to the murderers for now because I have not committed any crime. I am beginning to defy the oppressor and its security state apparatus," he said.
"The Zimbabwe Republic Police have proved beyond reasonable doubt that they are part of Zanu-PF. On the morning of Wednesday, the 10th of March 2021 after 12am, heavily armed soldiers and police pounced on me and they were numbering between 10 and 12. It is clear that they wanted to and abduct and kill me," claimed Moyo.
He said since he started political activism more than 10 years ago, he has cooperated well with the police on all the occasions he had been arrested.
"Actually, I have been arrested more than 17 times ever since I started my activism and I have never resisted arrest. Actually in many cases, I have handed myself over to the police, but this time I am convinced they want to kill me as I can no longer entrust my life with them."
"I did not murder anyone, neither am I a rapist or a fugitive, and why would I be hunted by heavily armed forces?" rhetorically asked Moyo.
He claimed six members of his party were shot and injured by the police during the demonstrations at the police station.
"Six of my party members were shot and injured by overzealous police in front of the world and nine are languishing at Khami (Maximum Security) Prison since Thursday. Their sin being that they went to Bulawayo Central Police Station to inquire peacefully about my whereabouts," said Moyo.
Police in Bulawayo are reportedly on a manhunt for Moyo after he led a group of party activists last Monday to intervene in farm ownership wrangle between white farmer Brian Davies and Floyd Ambrose in Ntabazinduna, Matabeleland North province.
Ambrose, the son-in-law of former Vice President Kembo Mohadi, continues to occupy Tabas Induna Farm defying a High Court order for him to vacate the property.
Davies then sought the assistance of Moyo and his supporters to remove Ambrose from the farm last Monday. On arrival at Tabs Induna Farm on the day, Ambrose and his workers were forced to flee into the bush and fire gunshots at the MRP activists.
However, following the dramatic incident, army and police officers in civilian clothing allegedly raided Moyo's house in the wee hours of Wednesday in an attempt to arrest him.
The MRP leader was reportedly not around when the raid was conducted.
In retaliation to the raid, MRP activists Thursday stormed Bulawayo Central Police Station protesting over Moyo's alleged harassment by state security agents. Nine MRP activists were arrested during the demonstrations and have since appeared in court and remanded in custody facing charges of public violence.
"I will not hand myself to the murderers for now because I have not committed any crime. I am beginning to defy the oppressor and its security state apparatus," he said.
"The Zimbabwe Republic Police have proved beyond reasonable doubt that they are part of Zanu-PF. On the morning of Wednesday, the 10th of March 2021 after 12am, heavily armed soldiers and police pounced on me and they were numbering between 10 and 12. It is clear that they wanted to and abduct and kill me," claimed Moyo.
He said since he started political activism more than 10 years ago, he has cooperated well with the police on all the occasions he had been arrested.
"Actually, I have been arrested more than 17 times ever since I started my activism and I have never resisted arrest. Actually in many cases, I have handed myself over to the police, but this time I am convinced they want to kill me as I can no longer entrust my life with them."
"I did not murder anyone, neither am I a rapist or a fugitive, and why would I be hunted by heavily armed forces?" rhetorically asked Moyo.
He claimed six members of his party were shot and injured by the police during the demonstrations at the police station.
"Six of my party members were shot and injured by overzealous police in front of the world and nine are languishing at Khami (Maximum Security) Prison since Thursday. Their sin being that they went to Bulawayo Central Police Station to inquire peacefully about my whereabouts," said Moyo.
Source - chronicle
