The youths also reportedly assaulted a police officer, Harare City Council chief whip Councillor Victor Chifodya and scores of people they suspected to be Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) sympathisers.
Harare police spokesperson Inspector James Sabau confirmed the incident and pledged to carry out investigations.
MISA-Zimbabwe position
MISA-Zimbabwe is greatly disturbed by this turn of events as it comes on the backdrop of the assault on 23 July 2011 of journalists Lev Mukarati, Nqaba Matshazi and Aaron Ufumeli by suspected Zanu PF supporters who were part of a public hearing on the Human Rights Bill that was being conducted at the Parliament of Zimbabwe in Harare.
The mob accused the journalists who work for the private press of writing falsehoods as well as not singing the national anthem in addition to working for the “wrong papers”.
MISA-Zimbabwe warned then that the police’s failure to effect any arrests would embolden the culprits and give them free reign that endangers the lives of innocent citizens.
Ironically, the incidences of violence on 6 September 2011 erupted while President Robert Mugabe spoke against violence in all its manifestations as he officially opened the Fourth Session of the Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe.
We therefore urge President Mugabe to order Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri to ensure the culprits are brought to book. The youths cannot be allowed to get away with this wanton lawlessness and shocking defiance of the President’s peace message. The police should be given firm orders to deal with any perpetrators of violence for without that it will not only be the lives of innocent citizens and journalists that will be placed in great danger but that of police officers on duty as witnessed during the opening session of parliament on 6 September 2011.
Post published in: News