by Staff reporter

Suspected MDC Alliance activists on 15 July 2018, burned property belonging to a ZANU PF member, Ngambura worth more than US$1500, in a case suspected to be politically motivated arson in Mkoba 7, in Gweru.

The MDC Alliance activists threw a burning t-shirt through Ngambura’s bedroom window, igniting the fire.

Neighbours who tried in vain to douse the fire confirmed that a group of suspected Alliance activists in the area clad in that party’s regalia threw the burning object and sped off in their getaway car.

“A group of people wearing MDC t-shirts just appeared chanting pasi neZanu PF slogans and threw a fire missile nepa window pebedroom and got in a car and sped off,” narrated one eye witness.

“We tried to help his wife to douse the fire but it proved too strong until the fire brigade arrived,” he added.

Besides the damaged property, no one was injured in the attack.

A week before the incident, the MDC Alliance members burnt down Ngambura. The MDC Alliance supporters accused Ngambura of defacing their campaign posters at Mkoba 7 Shopping Centre in Gweru.
A report was made to the Mkoba Police Station but no arrests had been made at the time of going to print. It is suspected that the arson attack was an attempt by the MDC Alliance supporters to punish Ngambura for reporting them.

There has been an increase in the number of politically motivated violence ahead of the harmonised elections to be held in 12 days’ time. According to an election watchdog, Zimbabwe Peace Project, most of the recorded cases of political violence were perpetrated by the MDC Alliance.