HARARE’s central business district (CBD) descended into chaos yesterday, as suspected Zanu PF youths, masquerading as disgruntled vendors, unleashed a reign of terror against ordinary people and shops—looting and damaging property, as they engaged in, on the face of it, running battles with the police.

by XOLISANI NCUBE/obey manayiti

Top: Police fired teargas to disperse pedestrians along George Silundika Avenue in Harare yesterday. Bottom: People milling around shops that had been closed during the “violent protest” in Harare’s CBD yesterday.

Armed with stones, the group — which has since been disowned by the National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe (Navuz) and social movement #Tajamuka/Sesijikile — marched through the city indiscriminately attacking people and smashing vehicle windscreens.

The suspected Zanu PF terror group circumvented the police, which is uncharacteristic of vendors and opposition party activists whenever they conduct their peaceful demonstrations.

Before the group was unleashed, some vendors believed to be linked to Zanu PF clashed with municipal police officers. The fights lasted for less than 20 minutes, before the unknown “terror group” — comprising mainly of young, clean-shaven men — was let loose.

Showing signs of a choreographed and sophisticated style of attack, the group moved quietly attacking shops and ordinary citizens with stones,

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causing mayhem in the city, as many people fled for safety, while the police were seemingly chasing after them.

#Tajamuka spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said the terror group’s mode of attack was characteristic of Zanu PF. He claimed the group was sponsored to cause bloodshed so that the police could wantonly arrest opposition activists.

“We did not organise any demonstration today (yesterday). We are not a violent people like what we have seen being perpetrated by those hired Zanu PF goons, who were stoning our parents without shame. It is unfortunate that Zanu PF has become clueless to the extent of demonstrating against itself so that they can arrest our members. Shame on them,” Mkwananzi said.

“If you look at the way the police reacted to this terror group, it’s uncharacteristic of them, they were following the group from behind and throwing tear-gas at ordinary people.

“Instead of protecting them, the police were doing the opposite. President Robert Mugabe should know better that such mischievous moves will not help his regime.”

Navuz leader Stan Zvorwadza also said his union had nothing to do with the mayhem.

“The National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe (Navuz) would like to distance itself from violent clashes that occurred in Harare’s central business district today (yesterday). A group of Zanu PF youths, claiming to be vendors, caused violent scenes in the central business district and also stoned several buildings,” he said.

“As Navuz, we view this as one of the ploys by Zanu PF to use their rogue youths to cause violence after which they will abuse their stranglehold on the police and judiciary to institute a series of arbitrary arrests of opposition and civic society activists.”

He added: “What is mind-boggling is that the Zanu PF youths terrorised ordinary citizens while stoning buildings for more than an hour, yet there was no police response. To make matters worse, the Navuz offices were also stoned by the same rogue youths, who were claiming to be vendors and belonging to Navuz.”

But, Zanu PF Harare youth spokesperson Edson Takataka denied that ruling party youths were involved in any clashes in the CBD, accusing the opposition of being behind the violence.

“We know who is violent and what they want to achieve. We are a peaceloving party busy with strategising on how to improve the economy brought down by illegal sanctions,” he said.

NewsDay witnessed the terror group attacking ordinary people along Leopold Takawira Street, while riot police remained rooted at the intersection of Julius Nyerere Way and Nelson Mandela Avenue in their water cannon trucks.

Police only sprang into action and threw teargas canisters at ordinary citizens well after the terror group had left the scene.

The other truck full of riot police was following the terror group, ordering ordinary people to disperse as well as throwing teargas at them, while the other team chased pedestrians along Julius Nyerere Way.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) also claimed that Zanu PF was the architect of yesterday’s violence.

“CiZC views today’s incident as a ploy by Zanu PF to clamp down on civic society and opposition activists in light of the pressure that is mounting on the failed government to deliver,” the body said.

“We fear that such desperate acts by the regime could highlight the beginning of clampdowns on civic society and opposition activists. It is shameful that the regime has resorted to the use of force against impoverished citizens calling on the government to improve their livelihoods.”

Heal Zimbabwe said the unidentified youths wanted to portray protesters as violent and unreasonable people in light of the pending High Court appeal against a blanket ban on demonstrations that was recently imposed by the police.

Contacted for comment, police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, said she did not have details of the incident.