POLICE QUASH PRO-MUJURU DEMONSTRATIONS

Corner Leopold Takawira/Sixth Street

Zanu (PF) youths who had  today planned to demonstrate protesting the vote of no confidence passed against provincial party chairman Jason Machaya at the party offices along Leopold Takawira Avenue were shocked  to see heavily-armed Anti-Riot police sealing the area as early as 7AM.

Central Committee member Douglas Tapfuma told journalists Sunday that Machaya, believed to be a Vice President Joyce Mujuru faithful, was axed for blatantly violating the party’s constitution.

“A unanimous vote-of-no-confidence was passed on Machaya without any objections even from him because he agreed that he has not served the party as a chairman well since he assumed office,” Tapfuma said.

In no-nonsense mood

“Chief among the allegations he faced is that he has failed to convene executive meetings as stipulated by the constitution that they should be a meeting at least once every month. He has also failed to unite the party because in Midlands for the first time since 1980 we have been divided under the leadership of Machaya and that was not accepted by the executive.”

 

Known female journalists try to get a closer picture

Today, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Public Police (ZRP) set up camp at Wickham Garden Flats in ahead of the planned Pro-Machaya demos.

"Some ZANU PF youths passed by this place in the morning vakaona kuti hapasi kuita (and saw that we were in no-nonsense mood).They never came back," said a police source.

A group of about six cops were stationed at AgriBank along Sixth Street, while the majority was camped opposite the main entrance to the ZANU PF offices. About five other details, all adorned in black anti-riot overalls, set base at the ZANU PF Development House offices along Seventh Street.

Heavy-duty police crowd control vehicles also roamed the area.