WASHINGTON —
The leader of the Johanne Masowe Echishanu Budiriro Two sect, Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani, is still on the run following the severe assault of police officers and journalists last Friday at his shrine in Harare.
Twenty-six members of his sect, who were arrested following the skirmishes, appeared in court Tuesday and were denied bail. The magistrate ordered that the sect members be treated for injuries sustained after police allegedly assaulted them while in detention.
According to press reports, one of the reasons why they were denied bail is because they don’t have identity documents since their sect does not allow them to have them.
Mufani, who allegedly calls himself God, and a number of his followers have been on the run since last Friday but police believe that they are still in the country.
On Monday a group of people, some wearing Zanu PF regalia, stormed the shrine in Budiriro suburb and burned garments and clay pots belonging to the fugitive sect members.
The involvement of Zanu PF in the Vapostori feud has raised tensions in the suburb with the MDC-T Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Lillian Timveos, saying the incident is a national issue that shows the country is sliding into lawlessness.
In a statement, Timveos said police procedures were not followed when police descended on the shrine to serve them an order to vacate the place. She said a proper investigations must be carried out.
She said, “While the violence is to be condemned, the Movement For Democratic Change has noticed a disturbing trend where Zimbabwe Republic Police officers have abused their rank and authority in support of dubious Zanu PF causes.
“We are alarmed that nine anti-riot police officers were injured unnecessarily while trying to enforce the illegal orders of one Reverend Johannes Ndanga of the so-called Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe, which is a known front for Zanu PF.”
Political ommentator and Zanu PF activist, Morris Ngwenya, told Studio 7 the burning down of the shrine was not political but was a demonstration against the sect members who are also known to support Zanu PF.
Twenty-six members of his sect, who were arrested following the skirmishes, appeared in court Tuesday and were denied bail. The magistrate ordered that the sect members be treated for injuries sustained after police allegedly assaulted them while in detention.
According to press reports, one of the reasons why they were denied bail is because they don’t have identity documents since their sect does not allow them to have them.
Mufani, who allegedly calls himself God, and a number of his followers have been on the run since last Friday but police believe that they are still in the country.
On Monday a group of people, some wearing Zanu PF regalia, stormed the shrine in Budiriro suburb and burned garments and clay pots belonging to the fugitive sect members.
The involvement of Zanu PF in the Vapostori feud has raised tensions in the suburb with the MDC-T Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Lillian Timveos, saying the incident is a national issue that shows the country is sliding into lawlessness.
In a statement, Timveos said police procedures were not followed when police descended on the shrine to serve them an order to vacate the place. She said a proper investigations must be carried out.
She said, “While the violence is to be condemned, the Movement For Democratic Change has noticed a disturbing trend where Zimbabwe Republic Police officers have abused their rank and authority in support of dubious Zanu PF causes.
“We are alarmed that nine anti-riot police officers were injured unnecessarily while trying to enforce the illegal orders of one Reverend Johannes Ndanga of the so-called Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe, which is a known front for Zanu PF.”
Political ommentator and Zanu PF activist, Morris Ngwenya, told Studio 7 the burning down of the shrine was not political but was a demonstration against the sect members who are also known to support Zanu PF.