A vehicle belonging to the MDC was stoned in Mutoko in a move that party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said was obviously the work of violent Zanu PF thugs.

Movement For Democratic Change

"Provincial organising secretary, Piniel Denga, says they gave chase to the three youths, apprehended two of them and took them to Mutoko Police Station but they were reportedly released after questioning.

 "The police were clearly biased. The incident confirms once again, that Zanu PF has not made any paradigm shift from its usual position of violence and intimidation,” said Chamisa.

He added that the ruling Zanu PF is paying lip service to efforts by the South African President Thabo Mbeki, as it is continuing with its repressive operations.

He said there was no guarantee that the upcoming elections would be free and fair since violence had already begun yet efforts to end those barbaric actions were underway at the South African talks.

The MDC has always had a tough time with Zanu PF thugs that have terrorised people especially in all the Mashonaland provinces where they are often deployed to ensure that the ruling party forcefully maintains its strongholds.

Chamisa said Zanu PF had only agreed to the talks in order to fake the international community that it was prepared for free and fair elections yet a number of election rigging tactics had already been mulled.

He said the party was wasting regional leaders’ time by pretending to listen to advice yet they will never change their violent behaviour and the recent visit by Mbeki was one of such futile efforts tame ruling party thugs.

Mbeki was in Zimbabwe recently and held meetings with the ruling Zanu PF leadership as well as both factions of the opposition MDC including Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara.

Mbeki expressed satisfaction at the on-going talks saying he hoped the economic and political situation currently bedeviling the nation would end soon.

President Robert Mugabe, however, on a lighter note told Mbeki to ask Tsvangirai about the "violence in his party especially as regards to women".

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