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(NEWZIMBABWE) Man killed in MDC-T, Zanu PF clashes

Man killed in MDC-T, Zanu PF clashes
28/05/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter

SIX people have been arrested and will face murder charges after a man was killed during violent clashes between MDC-T and Zanu PF supporters in Mudzi at the weekend.

The MDC-T claimed that party supporter Cephas Magura, 58, died after being severely assaulted by Zanu PF supporters at Chimukoko Business Centre where the two parties staged rival meetings on Saturday.

But Zanu PF officials said Magura had died after falling off a moving MDC-T vehicle. Mashonaland East police chief Ronald Muderedzwa confirmed the arrests.

“Following a politically-motivated violence incident that occurred at Chimukoko Business Centres in Mudzi District of Mashonaland East Province on Saturday at around 1000 hours in which Cephas Magura was allegedly killed as a result of political violence between the alleged Zanu PF and MDC-T supporters, police have so far arrested six suspects who are already in police custody facing allegations of murder,” he said.

“Police investigations have gathered momentum and all the suspects will be arrested without fear or favour. Political parties should desist from instigating their supporters towards committing acts of violence as no sacred cows will be spared.”

The MDC-T said Magura, a ward chairman in Mudzi North district, was “hit with a stone and fell down before he was fatally assaulted by the Zanu PF supporters."

It added: "Sekuru Magura was part of over 100 MDC members who had gathered for a police-sanctioned rally.’’
The party said seven other supporters were hospitalised after being injured during the clashes.

“Zanu PF organised a gathering at the business centre after learning about our rally, but the police assured us that the rally will proceed peacefully. So we did our rally, but we had to cut it short as Zanu PF youths started advancing towards our own gathering,” said a local MDC-T official, Nyasha Magaso.

“We managed to get the women on the available vehicle and they went. We stayed put, but at this time, the Zanu PF supporters started surrounding us, the police ran away.”

Piniel Denga, the MDC-T chairman for Mashonaland East who is also a local MP, added: "People where injured in this area, so it is our hope that the perpetrators will be arrested to avoid such violent tendencies in future. Zanu PF is indicating left and turning right and this is not proper."

Zanu PF denied its supporters were responsible for the violence and claimed Magura had died after falling off a speeding MDC-T vehicle.

Aqualinah Katsande, the Zanu PF MP for Mudzi West said: “Our youths were having their own meeting in a hall at Chimukoko when a group of MDC-T supporters, who were holding their meeting at a nearby ground, invaded our meeting and this was provocation.

“It resulted in the youths fighting. We have our members who were injured and we took them to hospital. We also reported the matter to the police.

“The MDC supporters were outnumbered in the fight and they fled from the scene and drove away in their truck and one of their members who was seated in the back of the truck fell and hit his head on the ground resulting in his death.
“It is not true that he was killed by our supporters, but fell off their moving vehicle."

Labels: MDC VIOLENCE

posted by MrK @ 3:53 PM