Bookseller Arrested over Tsvangirai’s Memoirs

Sinikiwe Matore, the owner of Rosepet Bookshop in central Victoria Falls town was arrested after police raided her shop and confiscated 10 copies of Tsvangirai’s book.

“Police raided the bookshop and confiscated all the 10 books in stock, which they took to the police station before asking Matore to produce invoices showing how they had purchased the book, ”said MDC-T information department in a statement on Friday.

After the raid “one police officer who identified himself as officer Shiri from the Law and Order Section went back to Rosepet and arrested Matore.”

The MDC-T also alleged that at the police station police planted some subversive material, red cards and small MDC flags inside all the 10 books in order to pin down Matore. The Victoria Falls police officers are also said to be looking for Matore’s business partner, Mlamuli Mabhena.

When contacted for comment Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Eglon Nkala only said: “I was out of office.”

The book “At the Deep End” is an autobiography of Tsvangirai and was officially launched last December.  At its launch at Harare’s Book Café, At the Deep End sold 235 copies.

The 663 page book chronicles Tsvangirai’s personal and political life.

The arrest of Matore came  just a week after police went on rampage in Bulawayo last week and arrested more than 50 MDC-T youths during their “Free Solomon Madzore’s campaign”.

The MDC-T are demanding the release of Madzore, their Youth Assembly president who is jailed at Chikurubi on charges of killing a police officer in Glenview.

Last week co-Minister of Home Affairs Theresa Makone said she will approach President Robert Mugabe and the Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri over the partisan conduct of the police.