ZANU-PF Bulawayo Province has dismissed false claims in a local online media platform that its member had been arrested for violence in Hope Fountain. Earlier this week, CITE reported that a Zanu-PF official and a police officer were arrested after they went on a rampage assaulting Hope Fountain villagers reportedly under the instruction of a high-ranking party official. CITE identified the party member as “Average Makope (32) a former police officer and the current Zanu PF youth secretary of legal affairs Bulawayo province”. Zanu-PF provincial spokesperson Cde Archie Chiponda said the named individual is not a Zanu-PF provincial youth member and the province was still ascertaining if he is “even a party member at all”. He said as an organisation they have noted with great concern the wanton abuse of the party’s name by various sectors. “Primarily, so called media institutions that purposefully falsely report in order to tarnish our party. There has been a story circulating claiming that a Bulawayo Youth Provincial member acting in connivance with state security agents carried out illegal activities with the blessing of our provincial leadership. sierra rain Nothing could be further from the truth! The named individual is not a Zanu-PF Provincial Youth member; we are still yet to ascertain if they are even a party member at all. And to even suggest the involvement of our Provincial leadership in such nonsense is an insult to say the least,” he said. “May these media houses be forewarned, we will not tolerate this abuse going forward and will react using the legal protection we are afforded by the Constitution of Zimbabwe in future. Also, we note with great concern the manner in which police memos are finding themselves into social media.”
Cde Chiponda said not only does this adversely affect the legal process of unhindered and unbiased investigation, but also adversely affects public perception of an organisation such as Zanu-PF. – The Chronicle
