(HERALD) Tsvangirai seeks ‘refuge’ at Dutch embassy
Tsvangirai seeks ‘refuge’ at Dutch embassyCrime Reporter
IN a desperate attempt to besmirch Friday’s presidential run-off, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday "sought refuge" at the Dutch Embassy in Harare, a move police described as a dirty political antic to stir international anger and further damage the image of the country.
Addressing a Press conference last night, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri said the move was also meant to further brutalise the image of Zimbabwe and in particular the Zimbabwe Republic Police on the international arena.
"We wonder whom Mr Tsvangirai is running away or hiding from. We do not have any complaints from him or his party of any threats of violence or attempts on his life that would cause him to fear for his safety and seek sanctuary in a foreign embassy.
"As far as we are concerned, we do not want Mr Tsvangirai for any crime and we have always been open about any arrest we make."
Comm-Gen Chihuri said if police wanted to arrest Tsvangirai, they would have made it public.
"If we wanted to arrest Mr Tsvangirai this would also have been in the public domain without hesitation, apology or misgivings from us as it is our constitutional duty to arrest offenders and bring them before the courts of law," he said.
Comm-Gen Chihuri said of late, Tsvangirai and his entourage has been freely moving around the country without any challenge whatsoever on his life in spite of his earlier claims that his life was under threat.
"We believe the latest development of seeking refuge at the Dutch Embassy is an exhibitionist antic intended to provoke international anger and mustering of sympathy from his handlers," he said.
Zimbabwe, Comm-Gen Chihuri said, was currently pursuing an electoral process in which Tsvangirai is a key stakeholder seeking to get the public mandate to rule the country and was puzzled by his fleeing.
"For him now to turn around at the eleventh hour running away from his own shadow is a development beyond comprehension. Aspersions of threats on his life decry the safety he has always enjoyed since he entered into the political arena and even when he was still with the trade unions. Who is he trying to please by these antics? Whose agenda is he pursuing with this dithering?" asked Comm-Gen Chihuri.
He said police were surprised why information on what is happening concerning MDC-T was coming from external sources.
"Is this a genuine Zimbabwean agenda? These are a lot of questions that plead for answers," he said.
Comm-Gen Chihuri also stated that ZRP would not condone any form of lawlessness and would investigate every crime reported without fear or favour.
"We therefore declare that Mr Morgan Tsvangirai is under no threat at all from Zimbabweans and he should cast away these delusions.
"We at the same time ask the Dutch Embassy if indeed he is there to tell him to go home and enjoy his sleep and nothing will happen to him. Zimbabwe is a peaceful country and
Comm-Gen Chihuri dismissed the opposition and its Western handlers’ claims of acts of violence against its supporters.
"Besides the antics displayed by Mr Tsvangirai we are surprised at the lies peddled by some sections of the local and international media houses. These media houses speak of hangings. We believe the same media organisations work in cahoots with the MDC-T to distract international community from the real and substantive issues in Zimbabwe," he said.
The Western media has heightened the propaganda to the extent of shamelessly lying that opposition supporters are being hanged.
On Sunday the British Independent lied that so far two opposition members have been hanged.
However, the last hangings to be carried out in Zimbabwe were in 2003 when murderers Stephen Chidhumo and Elias Chauke were sent to the gallows for killing a prison officer during their escape from Chikurubi Maximum Prison.
The two were executed together with William Mukurungunye and John Nyamazana, who were also convicted of murder without extenuating circumstances.
Early yesterday the Harare City Council raided MDC-T headquarters and moved about 37 supporters and their children who were living at the city building under hazardous health conditions to Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre.
The local authority, together with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, raided Harvest House at mid-morning following a tip-off by fellow tenants in the building along Nelson Mandela Avenue.
The tenants had complained that the building was no longer conducive for business owing to the unhygienic conditions.
Social Welfare Director Mr Sydney Mhishi said the conditions at the building were appalling hence the move to relocate the people to a better place.
"As the ministry responsible for the welfare of our people, we moved in together with the City of Harare to assist these people who are living in intolerable conditions. We have identified a place where we will take them and assist them," Mr Mhishi said.
He said his department, with the help of police, would screen the people.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Jessie Banda said police would take the opportunity to look for wanted persons.
"During the screening process we will be looking for those persons wanted for political violence who might have been using the MDC-T headquarters as their safe house," Supt Banda said.
When the Harare City Council raided the premises most of the alleged victims of political violence had fled leaving only a handful of women and children and their property.
The property included bags and blankets, which were in Tsvangirai’s boardroom on the fourth floor of Harvest House and on the first floor.
In an interview, one of the alleged victims, Mr Simon Kamoto from Mutimbanyoka under Chief Nyakusingwe in Rushinga, said he arrived at the offices on May 4.
"I came from Rushinga on May 4 and I have been living here since then," he said.
He also revealed that they were sleeping together with women and children in the offices.
Comm-Gen Chihuri dismissed rumours that about 2 000 MDC-T supporters were arrested at Harvest House, saying only 37 people were found during the raid.
"There were only 37 people found at Harvest House and not 2 000 as suggested by the rumour. They are now at Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre,’’ he said.
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
posted by MrK @ 2:05 AM
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