Last week Finance Minister Tendai Biti allegedly received an envelope with a live bullet inside. A few days earlier his aide Nqobizitha Mlilos mother was viciously attacked with an iron bar, and this Saturday Bitis gardener was allegedly assaulted by soldiers.The MDC said in a statement on Monday, the gardener, Howard Makonzi, had to be taken to hospital for treatment after the brutal assault took place at the Ministers house in Highlands, Harare.
It is not clear what precipitated the beating or what the motive was but according to the MDC: The assailants are guards at the residence of Zimbabwe National Army Commander, General Philip Valerio Sibanda. According to Makonzi, he was walking past Sibandas residence when the soldiers started following him. As he approached the ministers residence, the soldiers asked him to stop, but in fear he proceeded walking and the soldiers started running after him.
The statement continued, As Makonzi reached the house, he found it locked and he had no keys, and that was when the soldiers started beating him all over the body until he fell down. The soldiers never uttered a word, but stopped beating Makonzi after he had called for help.
The Finance Minister was away on official business in South Africa over the weekend. The MDC said a report was made to the police but no arrests have been made.
Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena told SW Radio Africa on Monday that he was not aware of it himself, and would check with the respective police station. He also said the police had however recorded a statement from the Minister regarding the bullet incident and police investigations were underway. He would not elaborate on the progress of the investigations.
The latest attack comes amid increasing complaints by the MDC of the victimisation of party members.
The party also said one of their MPs from Chinhoyi was allegedly arrested on Friday for playing an anti Mugabe song. The MDC said Stewart Garadhi was released without charge on the same day. At least eight other MPs including a Deputy Minister have been arrested on various charges including, kidnapping, rape and theft.
However the police spokesperson said the Chinhoyi MP was never arrested. I think we are misrepresenting maissues. Any contact with the police does not necessarily result in an arrest; when a person is just called for an enquiry to clarify certain issues, that doesnt amount to an arrest.
If you talk to his lawyer and himself, he will give you that position that he was never detained, said Bvudzijena.
We were not able to reach MP Garadhi, however, the police spokesperson claimed they had received a report that the MP was found with material that was considered seditious by the police.
That is the clarification which we were seeking from him, which he amply clarified and he was allowed to proceed. The police officer would not elaborate on the subversive material that the MDC official had been accused of having.
Post published in: News