ZIMBABWE — HARARE - Riot police fled angry protestors in Harare on Tuesday, with angry demonstrators pelting the fleeing police officers with stones, with the activists in hot pursuit.

 

Tuesday's demonstration in Harare by the National Constitutional Assembly showed how the tide had turned and how Zimbabweans, renowned for being peaceful, are reaching breaking point.

 

About six riot police officers learnt the hard way that crowd control was not a stroll in the park.

 

The overzealous police officers initially brandished their batons sticks and baton-charged the demonstrators, who were marching with a banner written "We are ready to die for a new Constitution."

The NCA was demonstrating for the immediate installation of a transitional government.

 

They were also demanding a new people-driven Constitution, and then free and fair international supervised elections to determine the way forward.

 

The riot police officers seized the banner from the protestors who were starting the march from Hurudza House and assaulted a few with batons, causing a mini stampede.

But the demonstrators regrouped near the British Council shouting "Ahoy, ahoy, ahoy."

 

They advanced towards the police officers, repossessing their banners and kicking the riot police officers.

 

Overwhelmed with the commotion and the people joining the demonstration from a bank queue adjacent to Century Bank, the officers sprinted towards Coal House, with angry demonstrators in hot pursuit. In the meantime they were alerting their colleagues that they wanted reinforcements.

"Yeeee" the people shouted in town, savouring the victory over the hapless riot police officers who had apparently misread the mood.

The joy was however short lived as three white Mazda trucks laden with riot police officers in blue helmets, commonly called "maChamber" here, pulled up and descended on the people.

In a short space of time, they had subdued the crowd, which was apparently shocked with the sheer brutality meted on the protestors by the riot police officers. Their handiwork left scores injured.

Meanwhile Dr. Lovemore Madhuku, the NCA was detained in advance of the demonstration. ZimDaily heard that police raided Madhuku's home in Waterfalls at 6 a.m. in the morning. They left empty-handed after they found Madhuku not at home.

ZimDaily heard that at 8 a.m. Madhuku received a call from police officials, demanding that he report to Harare Central Police Station. At 11:30am, he presented himself to the police along with his lawyer Alec Muchadehama.

Madhuku remained in police custody at the time of going to print.

The police high-handedness has been roundly condemned.

"The NCA emphatically condemns this unjustified obstruction of the organization’s peaceful protest actions," NCA spokesman Maddock Chivasa said. "However, the NCA refuses to be intimidated by this illegitimate unwarranted aggression and remains committed to its campaign for democratic reform." 

 

JOKE OF THE DAY - Boy saw a clean nice 'bootiful' girl who seemed unapproachable. He went to a magician for help.

 

"I would be the luckiest man if you make me to be between that girl's juicy legs", says Boy.

 

"Alakasha!" shouted the magician and Boy was turned into a tampon.

 

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