MDC-T forced to shift rally venue by an apostolic sect

MDC-T officials and supporters were at the weekend forced to shift their rally in Dzivarasekwa after members of an apostolic sect refused to vacate an open space that had been targeted by the party for its gathering.

The Power of God Church members defied pleas from the Western sponsored party to conduct its rally arguing that the party wanted to defile their place of worship.

National police spokesperson Superintendent Andrew Phiri on Monday said the MDC-T officials recently applied to the police that they wanted to conduct the rally at an open space in the Nehanda housing co-operative area which borders with Mashonaland West province.

At around 2pm, the MDC-T supporters went to the open space and found the church members there, he said. The party's supporters ordered the church members to vacate the open space since they wanted to use it, but they refused.

The MDC-T supporters then went to consult the officer-in-charge at Dzivarasekwa Police Station informing him about the developments and they agreed to shift to a soccer pitch in the nearby Whitecliff area.

At the open space, they found Zanu-PF youths playing football and were again forced to abandon the venue. They ended up settling for another open space near the football pitch. The MDC-T supporters dispersed at around 4pm after being addressed by MDC-T parliamentary candidate for Zvimba East Mr Greenwish Ndengu.

Supt Phiri dismissed media reports which insinuated that the police barred the MDC-T supporters from holding the rally.