Harare residents condemn MDC violence
HARARE residents yesterday denounced violence unleashed by MDC Alliance hooligans in the central business district saying the party had exposed its violent nature to the whole world.
Most residents who contacted The Herald said what the MDC Alliance supporters did indicated that they were selfish and did not have the interests of the country at heart after the party leadership claimed no one else other than their party should win the harmonised elections.
“We were enjoying a peaceful election season, something that never happened in the Mugabe era, when suddenly violence erupted. I was shocked to see the MDC Alliance supporters holding iron bars and bricks criss-crossing roads. I was on my way from the bank and I pushed and shoved by the protestors,” said Ms Mary Maenda of Glen View.
She said one of the protestors grabbed her phone and sped away.
“I was shocked. I ran after him and some men helped me. I recovered my phone but I am still shaken,” she said.
Another resident, Mr Reason Moyo, said he was selling sweets at Copacabana rank when all hell broke loose.
“The MDC Alliance supporters took all my wares. They were rowdy and said vendors had met with President Mnangagwa and should suffer. This is not good. Why do they want to make a good election look bad?” he said.
He said while MDC Alliance claims to be the agents of democracy, their behaviour exposed them for who they really were.
“Their leader, Nelson Chamisa, preached hate speech at almost all his rallies, something you did not hear from President Mnangagwa. Chamisa clearly incited his followers,” added a disgruntled Moyo who lost $10 to the looters.
Mavis Charakupa, who sells second-hand clothes at Copacabana rank, denounced the violence saying MDC Alliance leaders should be held accountable.
She said instead of denouncing violence by his supporters, Chamisa thanked them for supporting him on his Twitter account.
“He just confirmed my fears that he is a bad leader. Why would he pour petrol on a bad situation? He knew his people were being violent but never stopped them,” she complained.
In his tweet, posted on hisTwitter handle at 2.37pm after violence had already erupted, Chamisa said: “THANK YOU ZIMBABWE . . . I’m humbled by the support you have given to me as a Presidential candidate. We have won the popular vote. You voted for total change in this past election! We have won this one together. No amount of results manipulation will alter your WILL #Godisinit”.
Moses Gondo of Mufakose said the MDC Alliance protest was a sign of desperation which, however, exposed their true nature to the whole world.
“The MDC Alliance exposed themselves for the real hypocrites they are. I am glad election observers witnessed this and can now see which political party is violent. Why were they disrupting traffic and harassing pedestrians?” he said.
He said in any race there is a winner and loser and the MDC Alliance should concede defeat.
“What surprises me is that they claim the election was rigged yet they won resoundingly in their traditional strongholds like Budiriro, Harare and Zanu-PF won in its traditional rural strongholds,” he added.
Jane Madamombe of Sunningdale 3 said the MDC Alliance protest was uncalled for as it disturbed the peace of the nation.
“Zimbabwe is a peaceful country and we condemn all forms of violence. While MDC Alliance was busy attacking President Mnangagwa at their rallies, Zanu-PF told voters of economic reforms, prosperity and development.
“People, even those in urban areas, voted for Zanu-PF because they had a clear understanding of what the party offered. The MDC Alliance, on the other hand, spent their campaigning time attacking ZEC chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba instead of reaching out to the masses,” she added.
By yesterday afternoon, Zanu-PF had won two thirds majority in the National Assembly while MDC Alliance, which comprised seven political parties, lost dismally.
Presidential election results are still to be announced as verification of V11 forms is still underway.