Dorcas Rumano
MDC activists who are planning for the so called, ‘Mother of all demonstrations’ have moved a step ahead by targeting the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) firearms, in efforts to equip themselves ahead of their planned protests.
In pursuit of that agenda, a ZRP officer, Constable Auxillia Chimanira was attacked by suspected MDC activists while manning Murereka Tollgate in Mhangura on 30 May 2019. Chimanira, who was on duty with three other officers was attacked by the unidentified assailants and lost an AK 47rifle with 29 rounds of ammunition.
Constable Chimanira was overpowered by the assailants, after she was caught sleeping in a tent adjacent to the tollgate.
High levelled sources within the security forces, said they have intelligence to the fact that the MDC activists are attacking and stealing firearms from ZRP officers which they want to use for their planned demonstration.
They added that the opposition activists are planning to burn police stations and shops as well as looting.
In addition, the sources said the demonstration that was scheduled for today was called off after the organisers realised that they had inadequate financial and material resources, above all, heavy presence of security forces in most parts of the country.
The demonstration failed to get a buy-in from vendors as most of them said they were afraid of the skirmishes that usually exist between security forces and the rioters.
Sources within the MDC said the newly elected deputy presidents, Tendai Biti and Lynette Karenyi-Kore are against the idea of demonstrations, citing that they want to engage with other political parties through Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD).
On the other hand, MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, secretary general, Charlton Hwende and the party’s vice national chairperson, Job Sikhala are pushing for the protests, saying they should be staged by mid-June.
The MDC leadership that are for the demonstration are pushing the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) and Amalgamated Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) to hold their demonstration first, so as to gauge the capacity of the State in quelling the protests.
