THE leader of the militant Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP), Mqondisi Moyo, last week made his first public appearance after going into ‘hiding’ for nearly a month fearing arrest.
Moyo escaped arrest when armed security agents reportedly
stormed his house in March following his party’s confrontation with police in
Ntabazinduna over a land dispute.
MRP activists clashed with police after the latter
descended at Tabas Induna Farm in Ntabazinduna where they evicted Floyd Ambrose
from the property accusing him of forcibly taking it from a white farmer, Brain
Davies.
After the incident, police visited Moyo at his house at
night, but in the process attracted protests from MRP activists who went on to
stage a mini demonstration outside Bulawayo Central Police Station demanding a
stop to the harassment of their leader.
Police had to fire warning shots to deter the protesters
who were threatening to invade the police building. Nine MRP activists were
arrested during the protest while Moyo escaped arrest as he vowed not to hand
himself in. The arrested activists are in remand prison.
On Tuesday, Moyo resurfaced leading a delegation of his
party leadership to his Gwandavale rural home in Matobo North, Matabeleland
South province ,where he met church and unnamed traditional leaders.
“Some members of the church, community, traditional leaders
and villagers invited me and my leadership to Matobo.
“The meeting was nothing ordinary, but unique,” Moyo said
in a response sent via WhatsApp. The meeting was unique in the sense that the
Matobo leadership together with family members wanted to pray for and bless the
MRP leadership.
“Indeed we were blessed, encouraged and honoured.
“Actually, one of the traditional leaders who was present
said my blood falls within the blood line of the Lozi kingship, the owners of
our land. It is, therefore, unacceptable that I should live in hiding in the
fear of intruders.”
A number of activists have been arrested by police for
allegedly holding peaceful protests amid fears of a shrinking democratic space
since President Emmerson Mnangagwa assumed office.
Some of the peaceful protests have attracted violent
retribution from police and soldiers, claiming lives with the January 2019
anti-fuel hike protests being a case in point. Standard
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