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Snr Ass Comm Charamba

Herald Reporters
MDC-T candidate for Mberengwa North Mr Takavafira Zhou was recently assaulted by fellow Remba clan members after he was carried away at a rally and revealed secretly guarded tribal rituals during his speech.Police said yesterday that the Remba of Mberengwa, to whom Mr Zhou belongs, were not impressed after the aspiring legislator spoke at length about their secretive rituals in public.

The Remba are known to keep their tribal secrets, especially what goes on during their circumcision rites, and are known to be hostile to members who reveal them to non-tribal members.

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said in a statement that there was no political link to the assault on Mr Zhou as alleged by some sections of the media.

“Upon investigations, police found out that Takavafira Zhou was not assaulted by Zanu-PF supporters, but was rather assaulted by Varemba people, who alleged that he had leaked their secretive Ngoma Lungundu rituals during his political campaigns,” she said.

“Takavafira Zhou and Zanu-PF’s candidate for the same constituency Tafanana Zhou are cousins.
“They both belong to the Remba tribe and are not in good books at family level. So, this is a case of bad blood between the two cousins.

“There is therefore nothing political about the alleged attack on Takavafira Zhou.”
Police in the Midlands also dismissed newspaper reports that political violence flared in Mberengwa.

Addressing journalists at a press conference at Gweru Central Police Station yesterday, Officer Commanding Midlands Province, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charles Makono, said claims by the Daily News on the matter were a gross misrepresentation of facts and misinterpretation of events.

He said Mr Zhou was assaulted over his speech, which revealed the tribal rituals.
“It is a taboo for any member of the Remba tribe to disclose what takes place during their Ngoma Lungundu rituals,” said Snr Asst Comm Makono.

“Mr Zhou allegedly told his party supporters at a rally what usually transpires during the rituals. This angered members of his tribe who then attacked him at Gwengwena Business Centre on Thursday at around 7pm.

“Mr Zhou has been summoned by the chief of the area over the matter.”
Snr Asst Comm Makono also dismissed allegations by the MDC-T party that Zimbabwe War Veterans Association member, Mr Biggie Chitoro, was leading a group of Zanu-PF youths that was causing terror in Mberengwa.

Meanwhile, Snr Asst Comm Charamba has commended Zimbabweans for maintaining peace ahead of the harmonised elections tomorrow.
“We, thus appeal to Zimbabweans to continue exhibiting political maturity by observing peace and harmony,” she said. “Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to commend the peace-loving Zimbabweans for demonstrating to the world that our country is capable of conducting elections in a peaceful and tranquil environment.”

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said police had been deployed at various polling stations to maintain law and order.
“Contrary to some political parties and media houses which are blowing things out of proportion for political mileage, the ZRP is receiving isolated and minor cases of politically motivated violence and other electoral offences,” she said.

“These cases manifest mainly through petty assaults and tearing or defacing of political posters.”
Apart from the false reports of violence in Mberengwa, Snr Asst Comm Charamba said there were no campaign bases set up in the area and challenged journalists, election observers and political parties to visit the area to establish the truth for themselves.

She said the police were investigating a suspected case of politically motivated violence in which Zanu-PF candidate for Mount Pleasant Cde Jaison Passadi was assaulted at a robot-controlled intersection while coming from addressing a rally.