and received medical attention while two were critical and had to be hospitalised for
several days. Some of the injured were Patricia Pfachi (56) who sustained a broken
arm and dislocated wrist and Collen Mbavha (35) whose right eye was injured.
Mbavha reported the case at Waterfalls Police Station under police report RRB
2825475 while Matilda Marichi had hers on police report RRB 2825476.
Highfield East residents continue to be forced to attend Zanu PF cell meetings against
their will. On 26 June Tobias Runyanga was forced to attend one of the cell meetings
on 166th Street against his will when he was supposed to attend to a relative who was
in hospital. The meeting started at 2pm and lasted until 4.45pm.
Occupy Africa Unity Square activists have had a fair share of incidents which saw
them being arrested after declaring a #5to6 protest where they enlisted literally living
in the square as a campaign against what they called deteriorating human rights
abuses in the country as well as the bleeding economy. After a few days of the
campaign 4 activists were arrested on a charge of theft and obstruction of justice.
Patson Dzamara brother to abducted Itai, Makomborero Haruzivishe, Oliver
Chikumba and Tinotenda Mombeyarara were taken into custody on the night of June
8 while their fellow activists were arrested the next day. The first four were hauled
before the courts where they were granted bail of $1000 each which they failed to
raise for several days until the bail was reduced to $400. A few days after they were
released on June 20 riot police descended on them again in Africa Unity Square and
beat them up resulting in some of them seeking medical attention. It was after this
action that the activists took action to interdict the police as they believed they were
interfering with their right to demonstrate peacefully as guaranteed by the
constitution.
NAVUZ leader, Stern Zvorwadza, appeared at the Harare Magistrates court on 28 June,
charged with threatening to torch Rainbow Towers Hotel in protest over vice
President Phelekezela Mphoko’s continued stay at the hotel which they argued wasted
tax payers’ money at a time the government had acquired a house for the vice
President. The activist-cum-unionist stormed the hotel with eight others and
proceeded to the foyer before staff at the hotel called in the police to quell the protest.
Zvorwadza was arrested after initially demanding that the police leave the hotel as he
believed they were protesting peacefully. Zvorwadza is now awaiting trial.
Manicaland
Politicization of food aid programs was common with Zanu PF members using the aid to
coerce people to join the party. Those in the opposition were reported to have been told in
some constituencies that they have to join the party if they want to benefit from the aid. Even
the Department of Social Welfare food was said to be politicized in areas like Buhera South
and West. Tensions were high in Mutare towards the end of June. On 23 June the opposition
MDC-T held a demonstration in the city centre protesting against President Mugabe’s rule.
On the 27th of June commuter operators protested against corruption and harassment by
traffic cops by pulling their buses off the roads.
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