Arrests, torture won’t deter us: MDC Alliance
THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance has vowed that its supporters will not be distracted from their goal of unseating the Zanu PF regime by State-sponsored arbitrary arrests, torture and abductions.
MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson Clifford Hlatywayo made the remarks yesterday in reaction to the weekend arrest of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and MDC Alliance deputy national chairman Job Sikhala for allegedly publishing falsehoods.
The two were picked up after they tweeted about the alleged murder of a nine-month-old baby by a police officer in Harare during skirmishes with commuter omnibus crews on Tuesday. It later turned out that the baby was not killed as alleged.
“The abduction, torture, arbitrary arrests and illegal detention of political leaders and activists including professionals to try to instil fear will not work,” Hlatywayo said.
“Thokozani Khupe (former MDC-T leader) failed to destroy president Nelson Chamisa and the new old boy (Douglas Mwonzora) given the same assignment will also fail spectacularly.
“The sting of the past elections continues to haunt and traumatise Zanu PF to this day, they are still hiding behind the COVID-19 lockdown to suppress the people’s voices and democratic actions; it will not work.”
Hlatywayo said Zanu PF resorted to a number of failed tactics and tricks to try and destroy Chamisa’s party, including withholding money the opposition was entitled to under the Political Parties Finance Act.
“They banned by-elections, but allowed an MDC-T congress that took place last month at the Harare International Conference Centre during the coronavirus pandemic. They fear the people because they know that their stooges are not wanted by the electorate.”
“Their mission is doomed. They cannot destroy the person of president Chamisa; neither can they destabilise the people’s movement. President Chamisa is the product of the people, he defeated Khupe and (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa combined in the last election (2018).”
Calls to Zanu PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa went unanswered.