…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.
