Zanu PF, Opposition Transform Zimbabwe Youth Clash in Harare

  • Thomas Chiripasi

Zanu-PF supporters outside parliament during the official opening ceremony Tuesday

Zanu PF and opposition Transform Zimbabwe youths clashed in Harare's Highfield high density suburb Friday prompting Transform Zimbabwe leader, Jacob Ngarivhume, to abandon a scheduled meeting with his followers.

Transform Zimbabwe national executive member, Tangai Takaruza, told VOA Studio 7 that suspected Zanu PF youths wearing the ruling party's regalia and wielding clubs provoked the political violence.

Takaruza claimed that the Zanu PF parliamentary candidate for Highfield West constituency, Psychology Maziwisa, was leading the gang that allegedly assaulted several Transform Zimbabwe supporters who had gathered for the meeting.

He claimed that a report has been made at Machipisa Police Station but the suspected perpetrators are roaming the streets of Highfield in the full glare of the police.

But Maziwisa dismissed these reports as baseless, questioning the alleged violence as he was on a door to door campaign

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Charity Charamba said the police are still investigating the matter.

The June 10 parliamentary by-elections have been marred by several reports of violence with some organizations such as the Elections Resource Centre calling for perpetrators of violence to be disqualified from the polls.

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Report By Thomas Chiripasi