Zanu PF Mashonaland East Province has distanced itself from the individuals in the alleged political violence video that has gone viral on social media saying that the people appearing in the video are neither members of the Party nor any known affiliate.
In a statement, Zanu PF chairperson for Mashonaland East Honourable Daniel Garwe said that they had noted with great concern a video circulating on social media purportedly showing a group of individuals physically abusing elderly people in Murewa.
“Apart from the disgusting physical abuse captured in the video, the Province is disturbed by allegations that the perpetrators are ZANU PF members acting on behalf of unidentified bosses.
“The Province hereby distances itself from the individuals in the viral video. They are neither members of ZANU PF Mashonaland East Province nor any known affiliate and were clearly hired to further nefarious agendas including soiling the image of His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Second Republic,” said Honourable Garwe.
The Mashonaland East chairperson added that the individuals are not identified anywhere in the video by word or clothing as members of our peace-loving Party.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF Director for Information, Tafadzwa Mugwadi said there is no evidence to suggest that the assailants are members of the ruling ZANU PF. ZBC News quotes him as saying:
I condemn this conduct unreservedly. The culprits should be brought to justice. What I however find irresponsible is when desperate clueless political upstarts start to drive and wage misleading narratives that the perpetrators should be referred to as ZANU PF supporters.
This is needless and regrettable spin. Clearly, there is nothing in statements uttered or visuals shown which identifies the culprits as ZANU PF supporters. Remember CCC-MDC-T/ A Harvest House battles which were similarly blamed on ZANU PF yet it was their succession wars. To this day, they still have not taken responsibility over attempts to burn Dr Thokozane Khupe, Elias Mudzuri and Douglass Mwonzora at Tsvangirai’s funeral.
He called upon fellow members of the ruling party to pay heed to calls made by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on peaceful and violence-free elections. He added:
I advise my fellow politicians to desist from fronting politics at a crime scene no matter the temptation to grab headlines and attention. Let the perpetrators be treated as barbaric criminals who should be identified, arrested and rot in jail. On its part, ZANU PF does not tolerate any barbaric criminal conduct. Our philosophy of mobilisation is simple but powerful – ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’, which has become a national chorus.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has clearly and unequivocally set the record clear on peaceful and violence-free elections. Whoever commit acts of violence in name of the party shall carry his or her cross and account. Let the Zimbabwe Republic Police do what they know best – investigations.
