The soldiers, wearing army uniform and red military police berets, put lives of passengers in danger as they pulled crew members from moving buses and detained them in one of the commuter vehicles at the terminus. They later forced their victims to roll on the ground while beating them with sticks.
“We were forced to role on the ground while being beaten up with sticks and another objects the soldiers could lay their hands on. We were also made to shout that ‘soldiers are sacred and no one should dare beat or provoke them (takanzi tidayidzire kuti musoja haarohwe kana kudenhwa),” said one of the victims.
People doing business in town had to go home early to avoid being caught in the crossfire as the soldiers went on a people-beating spree. Eye witnesses said a soldier had earlier been beaten up by a drunken vendor after a misunderstanding. The fracas sucked in onlookers who felt the soldier was in the wrong.
“After the soldier was beaten up by an angry mob he sought reinforcement from colleagues at Dombotombo Army satellite camp. The soldiers teamed up and beat up the vendor before handing him over to Marondera District Police Headquarters for detention.
“Around 5 pm a group of some five military police officers descended on Marondera bus terminus and indiscriminately beat up unsuspecting crew members. The bus crews were forced to roll on the ground and shout ‘soldiers should not be beaten up’ (masoja haarohwe),” said another eye witnesses.
Police in uniform watched helplessly and failed to rescue innocent civilians under military attack. “Police officers, some of them of the rank of inspector, could be seen among the crowd of spectators observing the torture from a safe distance,” said visibly shocked residents. “They seemed too terrified to arrest any of the rogue army personnel.”
When contacted for comment, Police National Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said: “Under section 93.1 of the constitution, only police have the mandate to arrest people who break the law and to protect property.
“The police have powers to arrest anyone committing a crime – including soldiers. Allegations that police watched helplessly while soldiers abused civilians in the provincial capital of Mashonaland East are unfortunate. Residents should have identified the police officers who failed to do their job.”
She said she was hearing about the incident for the first time from The Zimbabwean.
Marondera district police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Dube could not be reached for comment as his office number went unanswered. Responding to questions on whether soldiers had the mandate to beat up civilians as punishment for wrong doing, army spokesperson, Colonel Alphios Makotore said: “Hallo my friend. May you please put your questions in writing?”
He usually does not respond to questions he asks to be put in writing.
Late last year soldiers ran amok at bus termini in Harare, randomly beating up omnibus crews -ostensibly in retaliation for one of them who had been beaten up by rank marshals for refusing to pay bus fare.
In the past, soldiers have gone on the rampage beating up revellers at night spots and innocent civilians going about their business when Mugabe and Zanu (PF) have lost elections.
Last September a group of 20 soldiers indiscriminately attacked touts and rank marshals at the Charge Office rank in Harare. They also beat up innocent bystanders including women.
In the same month, a team of 10 rowdy soldiers ran amok in Budiriro beating up civilians watching a game of soccer at a local night club. This was barely a week after soldiers beat up innocent people in the central business district in revenge over their colleagues beaten by touts.
Post published in: News