Police allegedly assault Mahetshe Primary School children in Matobo

Police in Matobo, Matabeleland South, are alleged to have assaulted children at an Early Child Education school in Mahetshe.

This was exposed by Mthwajazi Republic Party in a statement.

"On May 21, Mahetshe community was ragged into fury by 3 police officers from Maphisa police camp who assaulted their children at the ECD B level by intimidating and beating them," MRP noted.

"On May 29 at the village meeting chaired by Kraal head Shakespear Ndlovu with tens of villagers who came to attend the meeting. ZRP and education officers were invited to give answers and clarity to the villagers but all of them failed to comply with the summons. This clearly indicates that Zanu pf government doesn't respect the people of Matabeleland."

MRP said it was reported that on May, 21 notorious police officers, a woman known as Madlabuzela, policeman known as Ndlovu and the other policeman whose name is unknown who were reportedly drunk while 2 of them were in police uniform and were using police vehicle, were invited by school Deputy Head ma'am Ncube for crime awareness but they did the opposite.

"They built a case from the previous week' incident where 5 boys were accused of stealing money from their teacher Siyamunda whose husband is a police officer at Maphisa Police Station. Her money was discovered and the pupils were disciplined," reads the statement.

"It was reported that Siyamunda was in the habit of delegating one of the boys to sell some sweets and jiggies on her behalf.l believe, according the education ministry regulations, that constitutes an act of misconduct, and the boy was not paid for the job."

MRP said the villagers raised their concerns that their children didn't have time to study because they will be selling for teachers.

"It was against this background that police were invited to conscientise learners about crime," MRP said.

"It was also reported that the whole school was summoned out of their classrooms and the children were asked to point out any one who once commited any misconduct from ECD B."

Indications are that it was also reported that Madlabuzela used an electric code to beat up girls.

"The other Shona police officer had 25 sticks with which he beat the boys. Ndlovu was double clapping them on their chicks," MRP noted.

"It's also reported that the torturers would lift the children with ears, and many are reported that they are still bleeding blood from their ears . Some children ran away from school as they saw their colleagues in soup. Some ECD children were crying terrified by the action of the police on their fellow students. It is also reported that the police told children that the next morning soldiers were also coming."

It is reported that on a similar day the council of the Village Head had a meeting at their court just outside the school gate.

"They had children crying loudly and the sound of claps then they rashed to the scene and found the police at work harmering the children. Upon inquiring into why that was happening, one of the police officers, a Shona guy told the Village Head and his council to go and report the case wherever they wanted. This is a common response by Shona people at Maphisa if they have a misunderstanding with Ndebele people; they tell them to go and report wherever they want because they have the assurance that the law will always favour them," MRP said..

"Upon being asked why he behaved in thus cruel manner, the ZRP officer answered that they, (police) had the right to apply minimum and maximum force, as can be heard and seen on tbe 3 minutes 56 seconds-long video.

Our understanding, however, is that under the Education Ministry regulations, corporal punishment was abolished. There are teachers who have faced legal action because of undermining such regulation. How come a police officer thinks he has a right to apply minimum force, especially to an ECD learner? These kids were beaten and got injured as if they were resisting anything. It's ridiculous indeed. It is clear that these police officers are simply implementing their Grand plan of hsrmog and eliminating the Ndebeles from Zimbabwe."

MRP said May 22, the injured children were taken to the police station so they could get letters to facilitate their treatment at the local hospital.

"Parents reported that when the children saw the police in uniforms they cried and even tried to run away which is a sign of trauma and fear the fulfillment of gukurahundi agenda. The children had no scan which means internal injuries."

MRP said Parents say that their children are now refusing to go to school. Sometimes they even fake illness.

"Until the cimmunity leadership called for 29th May meeting, the Ministry of Education and ZRP have never said anything to the community and their boycotting the meeting shows that they have no remorse and that has worsened the anger of the community," reads the statement.

"The meeting was attended by 2 CIOs who introduced themselves as Moyo and Ngwenya, but the suspicion is that the two used fake surnames for cover. Again this is an intimidation to the public since the history of CIOs is filled by abducting and slaying people for opposing Zanu pf and Shonalism."

The Village Head repeatedly called for serious councelling for the children because the damage is huge.

Matabeleland remains a bitter state under misgovernment of Zanu pf we are calling for justice for our children.

 Their system of delaying tactics and resurface matters is not a solution we are pilling these matters.

Mahetshe Primary school is not very far away from the Bhalagwe Concentration camp where thousands of the Mthwakazi people who were killed during Gukurahundi are buried.

"We urge every concerned Mthwakazi citizen to rally behind the leadership of MRP President Mqondisi Moyo to fight this shona dominance under the guise of Zimbabwe Nationalism and unitary State mantra that continues to suppress dissent voices from Mthwakazi," MRP said.