Beverly Bizeki
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa’s address to supporters in Masvingo quickly turned into tears and mucus after Masvingo Police decided to end the rally throwing tear gas canisters in Mamutse Stadium last weekend.
Within a few minutes after Chamisa’s departure from the venue, a cloud of smoke engulfed the whole stadium forcing thousands of party supporters, onlookers and the media running in all directions seeking for sanctuary.
A few who had remained home in nearby Sisk, Mostaff and Old Railway suburbs were forced out of their houses to check on the noise that was in the streets as tear smoke victims would just turn at any house they saw with opened gates helping themselves from water basins usually left outside of many houses for other domestic purposes.
Those who came out to check on the noise or intruders at their homes were greeted with an unfamiliar smoke that quickly filled their eyes and nostrils chocking them in the process leaving most of them vomiting and gasping for fresh air.
Two or three canisters were thrown at first and second streets and the smoke covered most of the Sisk areas up to the shops where unsuspecting shopkeepers were forced to temporarily close shops.
For most of the people, that was their first time to encounter the burning irritation, lacrimation and blurry vision and a few could have heard only heard its effects from Chiredzi and Rutenga incidents.
The police were described by Chamisa as being possessed by a demon which does not suddenly leave when being cast out but would try a few tricks to remain because of their action of forcing people out of the stadium.
However, a few people managed to capture the drama and crazy moments since even scribes had to temporarily leave their prescribed duties and ran away from the stadium to look for fresh air far away from the stadium.
The whole incident started during Chamisa’s address when the police told organizers that the stipulated time for the rally had lapsed and had to stop. However, the defiant Chamisa continued speaking though he went on to cut short his address.
A number of police officers in anti-riot gear descended on the stadium from Mandava hill limiting chances of the crowd throwing stones as they could only be found in the direction they were coming from.
Speaking to this publication just after the mayhem, the rally convener and CCC Masvingo Urban candidate Martin Mureri described police actions as barbaric and uncivilized.
“As CCC we are not pleased by the barbaric actions by the police. They should respect people even if the law has been broken, they have power to arrest not to throw teargas. If there is anyone who has broken the law they should just arrest that person,”
“Right now people are crying from the tear smoke and they have thrown canisters in residential areas where there are innocent children who do not even know what crime has been committed if there is any,” said Mureri.
However, the police released a statement on its official twitter page justifying their actions on the day saying police had no option but to throw teargas to disperse the crowds.
“The police had no option but to use tear smoke to disperse the violent crowd. This was safely done with no injuries to the public or any damage to property,” reads the statement.
The police said they had engaged CCC to notify them to dismiss the crowd as the time slated for the rally had lapsed.
“The police engaged the CCC’s National Organising Secretary Amos Chibaya and his team who openly apologized for their non-compliance with the rally notification time. They agreed with the Regulating Authority to dismiss the crowd due to safety and security concerns over night rallies.
“Suddenly the crowd became rowdy and started throwing stones at the police officers while threatening to set on fire two police vehicles. One police officer sustained injuries as a result of stones attack,” reads the statement.
The police further urged political parties to properly organise their rallies and avoid spilling of events into the night saying night rallies are a security threat.
“The ZRP appeals to political parties and their leaders to strictly adhere to the time frames specified in their rally notifications to the Regulating Authority in term of the provisions of the Maintenance of Order and Peace Act. This will assist in the effective maintenance of law and order in the country,” reads the statement.
In his speech at the same event, Chamisa who had earlier on addressed a rally in Hippo Valley said the police had blocked them from holding a rally at their initial venue in Chiredzi and had to reconvene 15 km away.
