TellZim Reporter

CHIREDZI – The Zimbabwe Republic Police in Chiredzi, after banning the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) election campaign launch in Tshovani Stadium, where its leader, Nelson Chamisa was expected to address this week threw teargas to innocent civilians who stay close to the stadium and school children who were coming from school.
The police banned the rally saying they were under resourced to provide security during the rally but managed to throw teargas canisters to disperse party supporters who had camped outside the stadium to meet Chamisa who was expected to address them.
When contacted for comment, National Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he would need to get information of what transpired from the police command in Masvingo.
“I will have to check with police command in Masvingo to be able to comment on the matter,” said Nyathi.
However, TellZim News witnessed the fiasco where a number of people including the elderly had torrid time in breathing as they were affected by the smoke.
Chiredzi Town Council Vice Chairperson and Chiredzi Central CCC aspiring candidate, Ropafadzo Makumire confirmed the incident and said he doesn’t know why the police decided to use teargas in residential area after spending several hours with party supporters who were waiting to meet Chamisa.
He said they suspect that the police could have been ordered by their bosses in Masvingo or Harare.
“This wasn’t their idea, there was an invisible hand behind. They had spent several hours with us, though we were barred from entering Tshovani Stadium, they never raised a single button stick to anyone,”
“We were shocked as to how they later decided to fire tear gas in a residential area? It seems Zanu PF was controlling our peace loving officers,” Makumire said.
He went on to say a number of people were affected and had to be rushed to hospital.
“Several people were hospitalized after inhaling the gas. What bothers us mainly is CCC is being treated this way when Zanu PF is holding meetings without interference from the police,” said Makumire.
In banning, the gathering police said they had channeled resources towards the official commissioning of Gwaseche Clinic and Rusununguko where Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira was expected to come.
“Your Notification has been noted, unfortunately there will be a state occasion on 05/07/23 for the official opening of Rusununguko Clinic in Chiredzi by the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution where all resources are focused. Your notification has not been approved in terms of Section 8 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act Chapter 11:23,” read the Police response written by Chief Superintended Chihwereva.
Chamisa was said to be coming from Chikombedzi and would make a stop in Tshovane, however, the police locked the stadium and people had to wait outside.
Sensing an imminent threat from the numbers of people, the police ordered people to go back home and disperse from the stadium. Some abided and some tried to resist forcing the ‘under resourced’
The smoke managed to force them to retreat into the residential area and the police went on to fire more gas canisters in homes, affecting innocent residents and school children and as well as those who were coming from work along Warth Road.
Areas along Chigarapasi Beerhall which is close to the Stadium along Warth Road to Tshovani Primary were all choked with tear gas, forcing many to vacate their homes.
This comes after the Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ) with some members of the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) have been allegedly going around tearing and spray painting campaign posters for Ropafadzo Makumire, who is standing in for CCC in Chiredzi Central Constituency.

…as Zanu PF, CCC clash in Bikita

Brighton Chiseva

BIKITA – As political tempers continue to rise, Zanu PF aspiring candidate for Bikita South Energy Mutodi fired gunshots at Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members who were waiting for thier leader to address them at Baradzanwa shopping Centre on Thursday July 06.
Masvingo Police could not comment on the matter and referred all questions to the national spokesperson who was not answering his cell.
Bikita South CCC aspiring candidate Barney Nyika confirmed the incident and said Mutodi and his men had occupied their rally venue and when CCC supporters confronted him that’s when he fired some shots but they stood their ground and maintained their ground.
“He occupied the venue for our rallies before our arrival. When our supporters started to trickle in, they tried to inquire from him what he was doing at their venue. He became violent and fired twice or thrice at our supporters who stood their ground and maintained their presence at the venue,” said Nyika
However, Mutodi gave a different account of the incident to TellZim News saying his security aide is the one who fired a single shot to disperse CCC members who were charging and had cornered him and his people.
“It’s true, my security aide fired a single warning shot in the air to disperse CCC members who had cornered us and were stoning our vehicles and when the shot was fired that when we managed to escape,” said Mutodi
He went on to say Barney Nyika also came and reprimanded his supporters for causing violence saying as Bikita South they were a peaceful but it was CCC members who attacked them first.
“There were three rallies in the Bikita South, CCC had theirs in ward 7 and we had two, in ward 8A and B. one of my teams who were going to ward 8A were attacked and had to wait for me. When I arrived they started throwing stones at us and we were cornered, my security aide had to fire the shot.
He went on to say they were peaceful as Bikita South as evidenced by the fact that their rally went on unlike in other areas like Chiredzi where they failed.
“We are a peace loving people as Bikita South, we could have retaliated and their rally could not have happened but we just left and reported the matter to the police who came to attend the scene later,” said Mutodi.
Chamisa failed to address in Chiredzi after police denied them permission saying they had no manpower since there was a state event in the area.
In Zaka the address was cut shot by police who said the time that was on the police permission granting order had lapsed.

Branton Matondo

MUTARE – Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) is set to kick start a voter education and awareness campaign in Mutare, a programme meant to heighten the right to vote among workers in the informal sector.
The outreach programme slated for major cities across Zimbabwe including Masvingo, Bulawayo, and Harare is meant to encourage vendors to vote as the nation prepares for August 23 elections.
Speaking to TellZim News VISET Executive Director Samuel Wadzai said informal workers need to vote because the final result affects their industry.
“We launched this year’s project because we want to encourage informal economy workers to go and vote since the voting registration process for this year’s election has already closed. We are encouraging them to vote through our structures called social economic champions,”
“It is important for them to vote because the quality of leadership that we have affects their lives as traders, their businesses as entrepreneurs and their general well-being as citizens of this country. We have met our social economic champions here in Mutare and we have shared tools and information that they need so that they encourage them to go out and vote.” said Wadzai
He went on to say from Mutare VISET delegation is heading to the ancient city of Masvingo to congregate with social economic champions.
“From Mutare we will head to Masvingo and engage our social economic champions with the idea of sharing with them what they will expect and what they need to do. Basically we want them to share information on the importance of going out to vote,” said Wadzai
He said they were expecting a huge voter turnout from people in the informal sector on the Election Day.
“We are expecting a huge turnout from the informal sector come the 23rd of August. It’s important for them and the country for development that we want to see.” he said
A 12 member delegation consisting of vendors and informal workers across Mutare were selected to push the project meant to start on 10th of July.
One local vendor who refused to be named said the exercise was relevant and acute amid a situation where vendors make up the bigger chunk of the informal sector.
“We welcome the exercise by VISET, it’s good that vendors realize their right to exercise to vote because they are contributing to Zimbabwe’s economy. Their voice needs to be heard by through voting and we are glad that this exercise will buttress that.”
VISET, which has so far amassed 8 years of experience has become a platform of engagement for workers in the informal economy and the actual authorities, be it government, municipalities and all government agencies.
The exercise is also meant to influence policy frameworks that will suit the current informal sector.