News / Regional
Police arrest 6 MDC-T activists
07 Mar 2013 at 03:41hrs | Views
POLICE in Gweru have arrested six MDC-T activists for assaulting a fellow party member who is a local councillor over allegations of holding a political meeting without their consent.
Councillor Kenneth Sithole, the victim, said he was attacked by some members of his party on Sunday.
He said the group accused him of addressing a meeting without their consent.
"I was indeed attacked by six members of our party for holding a meeting without their consent. In fact, it was not even a meeting but a get-together with one of our party's aspiring councillors. The gang of six approached and accused me of holding a political meeting without first informing them. They then started assaulting me without even giving me a chance to explain myself," said Clr Sithole.
He said he sustained injuries all over his body, as a result of the assault.
Clr Sithole said he was taken to a medical doctor for treatment and medical examination before reporting the assault to police in Gweru.
"What my colleagues did is so immature. This is why I reported them to the police. As a party we shun political violence, worse when directed towards fellow party members," he said.
MDC-T information and publicity officer for Midlands South, Mr James Tsuro confirmed the incident.
He, however, declined to comment on the matter, arguing that he was yet to get a full report of the incident.
"My office received a report of intra-party violence in which Clr Sithole was allegedly attacked by our party members. However, I cannot comment much as I am still to get a full report of the incident from Clr Sithole," said Mr Tsuro.
The intra-party violence comes at a time when MDC-T has been engaging in attention seeking games on the international arena, branding Zanu-PF as a violent party.
This followed the death of a 12-year-old boy, Christpower Maisiri of Headlands, who died in an inferno when the hut he was sleeping in caught fire.
However, MDC-T's efforts to gain political points by blaming Zanu-PF for the boy's death were frustrated when the police ruled out foul play in the boy's death after carrying out investigations over the matter.
President Mugabe has since warned all would-be perpetrators of political violence that the law would not hesitate to punish them heavily as the country seeks to hold peaceful harmonised elections.
Councillor Kenneth Sithole, the victim, said he was attacked by some members of his party on Sunday.
He said the group accused him of addressing a meeting without their consent.
"I was indeed attacked by six members of our party for holding a meeting without their consent. In fact, it was not even a meeting but a get-together with one of our party's aspiring councillors. The gang of six approached and accused me of holding a political meeting without first informing them. They then started assaulting me without even giving me a chance to explain myself," said Clr Sithole.
He said he sustained injuries all over his body, as a result of the assault.
Clr Sithole said he was taken to a medical doctor for treatment and medical examination before reporting the assault to police in Gweru.
"What my colleagues did is so immature. This is why I reported them to the police. As a party we shun political violence, worse when directed towards fellow party members," he said.
MDC-T information and publicity officer for Midlands South, Mr James Tsuro confirmed the incident.
He, however, declined to comment on the matter, arguing that he was yet to get a full report of the incident.
"My office received a report of intra-party violence in which Clr Sithole was allegedly attacked by our party members. However, I cannot comment much as I am still to get a full report of the incident from Clr Sithole," said Mr Tsuro.
The intra-party violence comes at a time when MDC-T has been engaging in attention seeking games on the international arena, branding Zanu-PF as a violent party.
This followed the death of a 12-year-old boy, Christpower Maisiri of Headlands, who died in an inferno when the hut he was sleeping in caught fire.
However, MDC-T's efforts to gain political points by blaming Zanu-PF for the boy's death were frustrated when the police ruled out foul play in the boy's death after carrying out investigations over the matter.
President Mugabe has since warned all would-be perpetrators of political violence that the law would not hesitate to punish them heavily as the country seeks to hold peaceful harmonised elections.
Source - TC
