The members of Coalition of Democrats (CODE) have condemned the burning of opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Tendai Biti’s home in Murehwa on Sunday last week.
The coalition of opposition parties said the act of burning Tendai Biti’s home is an act of violence directed towards an innocent civilian that should not be tolerated in our country.
“We condemn any form of violence directed against civilians and civilian infrastructure as we are headed for elections in 2018,” said Farai Mbira the Chairman of CODE.
He said, “CODE demands that the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) thoroughly investigates the unfortunate incident and come up with reasonable answers that will help put the perpetrators to book,”
“The rising incidences of politically motivated violence on innocent citizens is however frightening as it brings to the fore memories of 2008,”
“It is the primary responsibility of the police to protect the population in the country and also it is every citizen’s responsibility to help the police in their investigations as they take feasible steps to ensure the protection of civilians.”
He said a CODE led government would encourage open public critique and would not allow for the enactment of brute intimidation on political opposition. No person should suffer physical coercion or property destruction due to the nature of their political position.
The burning of the PDP leader ‘s house comes barely two three weeks after political party violence in Chitungwiza, members of Transform Zimbabwe were attacked at a sanctioned clean-up operation at Makoni Shopping Centre despite the presence of Zimbabwe Republic Police –peace officers . Some of the youth were apprehended and awaiting trial pending submissions of medical documents to the courts.
The youths confiscated and destroyed Chitungwiza Municipality cleaning equipment and severely beat up TF members and their partners who were engaging in the clean-up campaign against the typhoid disease. Four people were taken to Chitungwiza General Hospital with severe injuries borne from the incident.
