Police ban MDC posters in Bulawayo
MDC Press Release: Sunday 8 June 2008, 1455hrs
Police and members of the Central Intelligence Organisation in Bulawayo have attacked MDC supporters and banned them from putting up election campaign posters for President Morgan Tsvangirai.
At 1200hrs, a team of four MDC members led by the MDC National Deputy Spokesperson, Ms Thabita Khumalo, were putting up posters on electricity and street line poles near Magnet House in Bulawayo, when they were confronted by Central Intelligence Officers who told them that “it was Mugabe’s country and only Mugabe could put posters on street poles and the MDC would not be allowed.”
The poster team then moved to the railway station to continue with their work only to be followed by police officers in riot gear and on bicycles. The police, after insisting that the country belongs to Mugabe and that the MDC would not be allowed to put up posters, started assaulting the MDC memebrs with baton sticks. One of the team members, Jerry Chiteshe suffered a broken leg and he is at Gallen House Hospital.
MDC Presidential spokesman, George Sibotshiwe, pointed out that the Mugabe regime has turned Zimbabwe into a militariased police state. “The regime is denying the people their fundamental rights in order to steal the June 27 election and subvert the will of the Zimbabwean people through widespread violence and killings, wanton arrests and by closing political space for the MDC to campaign”, Mr Sibotshiwe said.
“However, the time for change has arrived and the resolve of the people of Zimbabwe to attain that change is as strong as ever”, he added.
June 9th, 2008 00:16
When will the observers arrive? It is ridiculous! If I remember correctly even Mbeki said that the SADC observers should be deployed as soon as possible.
June 9th, 2008 05:49
Isn’t it time to curb the lies & histeria by the state propaganda machine? Disable the ZBC transmission network and the Zimpaper printing presses. Surely any good hacker could do this.
June 9th, 2008 07:51
Mr Mbeki said it must be free and fair, is there any chance of that happening ?My only hope is that in spite of all the fear and intimidation the Zimbabwian nation has realized that this is their very last chance to vote for change and a better life for all. Those that voted for Mugabe has to come to terms with the reality that their days are numbered and that they have never had the opportunity to think for themselves and have a chance now too, as the end is near Praise God!!
June 9th, 2008 19:24
I agree with Rick, I think its high time to find effective and creative ways to keep ZANU PF from being able to abuse power at such a gross level, keep them from being able to function fully as they are doing to the MDC. Disabling the ZBC transmission, I mean and if someone could do that, why not quickly replace that with pictures and footage of what is really going on. It would be very risky, but could be very effective. A lot more of that kind of stuff needs to be done,and if simultaneously, or just over the course of a week or so, actions to that degree kept happening especially in areas of technology where they are not as savvy and may not know how to change it…beat them with our minds, because all they seem to know to do is beat, and terrorize, create chaos I’m not saying its not well planned out and orchestrated, because it is, but its still very limited, and if we can be brave with our minds, theres a lot we can do.