Kapuya on NCA member brutalised by the police

Kapuya on NCA member brutalised by the police

By a Correspondent


Tapera Kapuya speaks on the hundreds of National Constitutional
Assembly (NCA) members who have been brutalised by the police in Zimbabwe.
Kapuya is based in South Africa. The NCA has been fighting for a new
people-driven constitution in Zimbabwe.

Who is hurt?

Tapera Kapuya: The current figures show that approximately 150 are in
hospitals in Harare. Among them is Ernest Mudzengi, the NCA's national
director. We know that seven people, who are severely injured in Mutare are
also in hospital. We are verifying other information about those detained
elsewhere and injuries. As soon as we know more we will be able to provide
detailed information.

What is the profile of those injured?

TK: Most of the injured are women. We know that two women have
fractured ribs, we have reports that there are others with broken limbs.

So what happend?

TK: Police in two B18 000 white Mazda pick up trucks stormed the NCA
offices on Herbert Chitepo Ave. They opened gun fire, shooting into the air.
They were wearing riot gear, and they detonanted tear gas at the office.

They beat up staff members and members of the public who were at the
NCA offices on other matters of business.

What is the reason for this brutal assault?

TK: The NCA staged a series of protest marches in all the major cities
around Zimbabwe: Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Masvingo to register awareness
on the need for a new people driven constitution. We also wanted to raise
public awareness on the implications of the planned 18th constitutional
amendment on governance, citizens rights to elect leaders of their choice,
which will now become the business of Parliament and the implcations of the
expanded legsialature on the national fiscus, in a country with such deep
poverty.

In the context of the SADC initiated mediation process there is need
for a democratic process to achieve national consensus without
excluding the generality of Zimbabweans.

What does the attack on the NCA's members and staff mean?

TK: It points at the fact that the state is keen on using repressive
methods to contain all forms of public discontent about it. It
indicates what is likely to happen to citizens more and more as we
come closer to the elections. It also reveals a state that is contemptuous
of the regional efforts that are underway to seek mutual and peaceful
efforts at resolving the national crisis.
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