Violence As Zanu (PF) and ZCTU Clash

The ZCTU meeting was being addressed by Matombo and Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) leader Raymond Majongwe.

Riot police had to be called to quell the situation. A group of 20 Zanu (PF) youths led by Andrew Manjoro Bulawayo youth provincial  secretary for Economic Affairs and one Charumbira stormed ZCTU meeting venue at Royal Hotel along 6th Avenue carrying iron bars and stones.

They demanded that the meeting stopped since they had also booked the same venue for their meeting, but the ZCTU members who were being addressed by Matombo and  Majongwe refused concede to their demands.

Majongwe told the Zanu (PF) youths to respect other people’s meeting and leave the venue. “You guys what’s your problem respect our meeting, have you ever seen me coming to Zanu (PF) meeting and disrupt,” shouted Majongwe.

The Zanu (PF) youths refused to leave but the ZCTU members who outnumbered them grabbed their leaders Manjoro and Charumbira and threw them outside before others followed in a rush. The ZCTU meeting continued.

They then gathered outside Royal Hotel and started singing Chimurenga (liberation) songs and called for more reinforcement from their members.

Manjoro then addressed the Zanu (PF) youths outside  the hotel telling them to wait until the ZCTU meeting ends so that they can  beat up the labour union members especially Majongwe whom he said insulted them.

“Comrades our enemies have invaded our meeting venue and insulted us we should show Majongwe who we are today,” Manjoro shouted.

Riot police then arrived and ordered the Zanu(PF )youths to disperse but they refused saying that they wanted Majongwe be arrested.

The youths finally dispersed after one of the Zanu (PF) Bulawayo provincial executive leader, Godfrey Malaba came to the venue and persuaded them.

He was overheard saying “guys respect other people’s meetings, we don’t want violence in Bulawayo these guys booked the meeting venue so let’s stop not acting like animals and leave them and go home.”

Speaking to Radio VOP after the meeting Matombo said police acted professional for the first time and also praised the ZCTU bouncers led by PTUZ national coordinator Enoch Paradzai for throwing the Zanu (PF) youths out of the venue.

“For the first time police acted professional and also I want to thank our guys especially Paradzai who managed to stop these Zanu (PF ) thugs. If it wasn’t for them we would be talking about something now dai taitwa kanyama kanyama nhasi (We should have turned into pieces of meat”. Those Zanu (PF) thugs meant business they wanted to finish us,”said Matombo.