Zimbabwean police raided and 'looted' the much popular Mbare Musika retail section in the capital, Harare during the weekend, in a suspected political move, The Zimbabwe Gazette has learnt.

Zimbabwe Police Confiscating Maize From Traders

“Surprisingly, no one was arrested. The police came in trucks and ordered everyone out of the market place.”

“They took away large quantities of rice, salt, mealie-meal and cooking oil, among other things that were stored in the market place.”

“It remains a mystery where they took all that stuff to,” said an eye witness who preferred anonymity.

In the country, it is public knowledge that the ruling ZANU PF party uses council property such as vending stalls, especially at various market places to lure supporters. For an individual to be allowed to rent a stall, he or she has to be a ZANU PF supporter.

This is mainly common with large market places such as Mbare Musika and Mupedzanhamo market, in Harare.

“Everyone who had stock inside lost everything, as the police did not allow any room for negotiations with anyone.”

Many of the policemen who raided the place, and were loading the trucks were cleanly shaven young men clad in new uniforms- probably from the notorious youth militia.

In the recently held March 29 parliamentary poll, the Mbare constituency was won by the opposition, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) - Tsvangirai. However, the senatorial seat for the Harare-Mbare-Hatfield constituency went to ZANU PF's Vivian Mwashita.

One trader in the retail market said he lost 300 kgs of salt.

“Usually when major ZANU PF rallies take place, the burial of a liberation war hero, or there is a ruling party function where the country's president Robert Mugabe will be attending, the police, soldiers and the youth militia come and close down the Mbare market.”

The trader said some senior market officials have been constantly threatening a number of traders, especially when the Mbare parliamentary seat went to the opposition.

“During business hours, we are constantly reminded we shall go do our business at MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai's home.”

“More than 100 people do their business here as we cannot find jobs anywhere. We feed our families through buying and selling commodities. Now, we do not know where to begin as the police took all you stock,” he added.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday state radio reported the National Incomes and Prices Commission (NIPC) also raided the warehouse of ZANU PF politician and Chitungwiza businessman, Christopher Chigumba.

Large quantities of commodities were found in which the NIPC says it will monitor the selling of those goods.

A couple of years back, Chigumba also fell victim to the political game as one of his shops was petrol bombed by suspected 'MDC thugs'.

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