Staff Writer
MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa’s convoy was Tuesday afternoon blocked just outside Mutare along the Mutare-Masvingo highway by heavily armed suspected Zanu PF activists who fired gunshots at the opposition leader’s convoy.
Chamisa was on his way to Mutare from Chipinge.
He is in Manicaland to drum up support ahead of the 2023 national elections where he is meeting traditional leaders and ordinary villagers.
The incident was confirmed to NewZimbabwe.com MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson Ostallos Siziba who said Chamisa and his convoy were chased by suspected Zanu PF activists.
“We are in a speed chase with Zanu PF thugs,” Siziba, who is part of the entourage, said.
“We suspect some of them are soldiers in civilian clothes. The road leading into Mutare has been barricaded with stones, thugs carrying knives and knobkerries are violently advancing towards his convoy.
“A man only known as Mambondiani is coordinating the Hilux cars that have been trailing President Nelson Chamisa’s vehicle
“The violent thugs are armed and making threats of violence against those moving with President Chamisa,” Siziba said.
“President Chamisa’s advance vehicles and his cars have been stoned in a high-speed chase with hired Zanu PF thugs in unmarked vehicles. The objects that attacked the vehicles made loud gunshot sounds.”
MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere also confirmed the disturbances.
“Violence of the sort experienced in Masvingo has broken out in Mutare where President Chamisa is set to meet community leaders. A number of Hilux vehicles carrying arms, rowdy thugs are advancing towards the president’s convoy. Details to follow.”
#MUTAREPOLITICALVIOLENCE
•A bullet flew through one window of the vehicle carrying President @nelsonchamisa & out through the other.
•This attempted assassination & use of gunshots on President Chamisa’s vehicle & another that is part of his convoy are cause for grave concern pic.twitter.com/yOQDzY77tV— MDC Alliance (@mdczimbabwe) October 19, 2021
On Monday Chamisa met villagers in the Chimanimani district before moving to Chipinge Tuesday.
Last week, Chamisa was attacked by over 200 Zanu PF activists in Charumbira area, Masvingo West, where he intended to meet with local leaders.
Several cars were stoned, and some party members had to seek treatment for injuries sustained.
Zanu PF political commissar Patrick Chinamasa accused Chamisa of stoking last week’s violence after his security details fired shots into the air.
More details to follow…
