HARARE - FIVE officials from the main faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were seriously injured and scores arrested when marauding Zanu PF supporters swamped Mai Musodzi Hall in Mbare, Sunday, and unleashed an orgy violence during a constitutional outreach meeting.

The incident came barely a day after the commencement of the outreach programme in Harare was overshadowed by intimidation and sporadic scenes of violence in and around the capital.

Piniel Denga, legislator for Mbare constituency told the Daily News that the MDC supporters had gathered at Mai Musodzi Hall as early as 8am in anticipation of expressing their views to the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) teams that were in the area.

“As with any huge gathering, our supporters were discussing issues they felt should be addressed by the new constitution,” said Denga. “ Zanu PF supporters who were also present and those who later joined others in the hall, did not take this lightly.

“They realised they were outnumbered and resorted to intimidation and later violence using screwdrivers and logs. Five officials including the MDC vice- chairman for Mbare District and branch executives have been seriously injured.”

He said the five had been taken to the Avenues Clinic where doctors were treating them for the injuries and trauma sustained during the debacle.

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone was unreachable, but Denga expressed his disappointment for what he termed the “selective application of the law”.

“Our supporters were beaten up and ended as the culprits. Nine supporters have been arrested for causing the violence yet it us who are the victims of Zanu PF brutality.

“Given the seriousness of the incident, we had expected Police to beef up security, but they only sent one truck with Police details who quickly arrested our supporters,” fumed Denga.

In a statement, the MDC deplored the acts of violence and the chaos which marked the beginning of the outreach programme in Harare.

Both Harare and Bulawayo had been deliberately slated for the last slot when the process to gather views to be included in the new constitution started on June 23.

“It is common cause that the people of Harare and surrounding towns form the base of the MDC,” the statement said. “The attempt to frustrate the process in these areas is a calculated move to dampen the people’s spirit and to sabotage their will to take part in that important exercise.

“The MDC wishes to reiterate that nothing shall stop the people of Zimbabwe from writing their own Constitution. What is happening reflect the last kicks of a dying horse.”

The MDC said Zimbabwe’s roadmap to legitimacy was a product of  11 years of unbroken victories in the people’s struggle for a new, post-colonial dispensation designed to see the extension of freedom and democracy in all its facets.

It therefore, could not be stopped by random acts of hired Zanu PF parrots.

“As for Zanu PF, the people know that the party is shooting itself in the foot through its backward mentality of trying to hoodwink and to drive the people into inertia after realising that it would be impossible to force them to read and play megaphone to their tired script. The people of Harare and Chitungwiza know that Zanu PF wants to remain in the past of being ever in a war mode when progressive parties such as the MDC are working hard to improve the lives of the citizens,” said the MDC.

The constitutional outreach programme has been dogged by bickering on funding, violence, intimidation and a split by civic groups who were opposed to the process.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s longtime allies - the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), the Zimbabwe National Students Union (Zinasu) and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) – differed sharply with the MDC over its decision to participate in the current constitutional making process.

They argued that by joining Zanu PF and the smaller faction of the MDC, Tsvangirai was departing from the sacrilegiously held principle of letting the people decide not the politicians.

The NCA has said the current process is politically-driven, and not people-driven.

By Daily News