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In a statement yesterday chief police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena, said they would deal effectively with unruly elements.
“The police are going to be very tough on the perpetrators of violence and no-one should cry foul when arrested.  
“The force is determined to deal firmly with all cases of political violence without fear or favour,” he said.

Snr Asst Comm Bvudzijena said recent statements by the MDC-T leadership appeared to suggest that degeneration of law and order was welcome in Zimbabwe.
“It boggles the mind why some politicians seek ascendancy to leadership through violence, destroying the same people they seek to lead.
“Let everyone be warned that the ZRP will rise to the occasion to deal with any wanton acts of violence in any part of this country.
“At the same time we would like to reassure everyone that the force is not in any way complicit in the violence that has occurred in Harare and indeed elsewhere and we will not be deterred by any MDC-T accusations which seek to dishearten and weaken police operations which have already been crippled through under-funding by the Finance Ministry.”

According to police reports, MDC-T members have been linked to nine politically motivated clashes.
On January 6, a Zengeza man who was wearing a Zanu-PF T-shirt was approached by two MDC-T supporters after passing near Harvest House. The Zanu-PF supporter had his T-shirt torn in the ensuing melee.
Snr Asst Comm Bvudzijena said on January 10, two people were assaulted by MDC-T supporters for wearing Zanu-PF regalia. One of them sustained head injuries.

Between January 8 and 11, two Zanu-PF supporters from Glendale who were wearing party regalia were attacked while passing near Harvest House.
Two days later, about 200 MDC-T youths destroyed property, office furniture, asbestos and windows after confronting members of Rambai Makashinga Housing Co-operative in Budiriro 4.
The youths chanted MDC slogans and had iron bars and rocks, police said. They proceeded to Current Shopping Centre in Budiriro 5B and harassed anyone they thought was a Zanu-PF supporter.

Twelve MDC-T supporters were arrested.
On the same date, an MDC-T councillor in Epworth was arrested for allegedly assaulting a Zanu-PF supporter.
On January 31, some MDC-T youths in Mbare attacked three Zanu-PF supporters.

Zanu-PF youths mobilised themselves and retaliated. Police arrested seven people.
Last Wednesday, a security guard at Zanu-PF Munhumutapa District offices community hall in Rugare was attacked by 40 suspected MDC-T youths who were chanting party slogans at around 11pm.
Police in Warren Park arrested an MDC-T councillor and eight party supporters.
“In all the above cases it is clear that MDC-T is orchestrating the political violence in which they cry victim.
“The MDC-T leadership’s complicity at the various levels is evident through the councillors who have been arrested in Epworth, Mbare and Warren Park,” Snr Asst Comm Bvudzijena said.

What is believed to be a petrol bomb was detonated at Mbare’s Siya-So market stalls at the weekend in what preliminary investigations indicate was an attack by suspected MDC-T.
Timber worth over US$460 000 was destroyed.

Zanu-PF Harare provincial youth league chairman Cde Jimu Kunaka was assaulted by suspected MDC-T youths at a food court in the city.
The violence follows MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s recent statements as reported by American broadcaster Fox News that Zimbabwe would not be worse off with the kind of lawlessness witnessed in Tunisia and Egypt.