Garikai Fadzi
“Once bitten, twice shy” has justifiably become the philosophy of Zanu PF following the near catastrophe at the White City Stadium in Bulawayo on 23 June when still unknown people attempted to assassinate the entire party leadership, including the President, via a grenade attack after a well-attended election rally.
Following the attack that killed two members of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s security detail, heavy security has become the order of the day at all Zanu PF gatherings.
As expected after such a near disaster, Zanu PF rallies have retained the numbers but the security has been extensively beefed up to ensure no repeat of the attack that saw the President escaping death by a whisker.
Now all attendees at Zanu PF rallies are thoroughly searched by security personnel. At the Chipadze Stadium in Bindura on 7 July, there was a list of specific people to occupy the VIP tent. Several people who felt they were VIPs but were not on the list were asked to leave the tent.
The distance between the VVIP tent and the other tents was about 5 metres and there was a barricade between the VIP sitting area and the crowd.
The media was not spared, as they were body searched more than thrice in order to access the media sitting area, which is always closer to the VVIP area.
The VVIP enclosure that used to accommodate 50 or so dignitaries, excluding security details, now has less than 20 people.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF has denied claims that thousands of people walked out on President Mnangagwa in Bindura. The party’s national commissar, retired Lieut-Gen Engelbert Rugeje said: “People who attend Zanu PF rallies are not necessarily members, but those interested in our activities do attend, that is the reason why you witness thousands of people constantly attending our rallies. Therefore, those people have no reason to leave our rallies midway through the President’s address.”
He said more than 40,000 people braved the chilly weather to attend the rally, and there was discipline from the supporters.
In Gokwe, President Mnangagwa had to restrain some supporters who made their way out of the rally grounds at the Mapfungautsi Primary School during his address.
Last Saturday, videos started circulating on the social media, showing an armed soldier restraining people who were leaving the Chipadze Stadium rally, apparently after the President had concluded his address.
Commenting on the videos, Rugeje said he did not trust the social media.
“Magetsi, Iwewe ukaona zvinoita vana Denzel Washington na Shwazneegar vachi jumper 30 metres asi anoburuka achifamba kuseri uko,” Rugeje said. “That is the same gymnastics dzirikushandiswa paSocial media. I don’t buy the story iyoyo yekuti vanhu vakabuda.Vakabuda vanhu vaenda. That vanhu vakabuda kuBindura. Vakabuda President vaenda. I remember pandakabuda President vaenda. I took almost 45 minutes in a jam. Both traffic and human yandakatozobuda after 45 minutes. President vakamhara kuHarare ini ndichiri pedyo neStadium.”
