A Kwekwe City councillor was last Thursday assaulted by MDC Alliance youths at the burial of Kwekwe deputy mayor Shadreck Tobaiwa after claiming a high number of supporters of the Nelson Chamisa-led party were dying.
Councillor Joshua Tinago and a number of other councillors attended the burial of Tobaiwa who succumbed to Covid-19 last week.
While at the burial at the Kwekwe Central Cemetery, the councillor was heard saying Chamisa’s supporters were dying in their numbers.
His remarks infuriated MDC Alliance youths gathered, who were led by national youth secretary Ostalos Siziba, and some of them started attacking the councillor accusing him of being a defector.
Tinago confirmed the assault. He told NewZimbabwe:
It’s true! I was beaten by youths at the burial of the Kwekwe deputy mayor. I have since reported the matter to the police and the matter is under investigation.
MDC Alliance Midlands provincial spokesperson Takavafira Zhou also confirmed the assault. He said:
Yes, we received the news of the beating of Councillor Tinago. I was informed Councillor Tinago provoked the youths by insinuating that all people in the MDC Alliance were dying and in the end, Chamisa would be left with no credible leaders. As the MDC Alliance, we certainly feel a funeral is not a place to settle political scores, but to mourn.
Tinago defected from the MDC Alliance in 2020 and joined the rival MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora while Tobaiwa had remained in the MDC Alliance camp.
Kwekwe City Council had 14 councillors, one from Zanu PF and 13 shared between the warring MDC factions.
Five MDC-T councillors are Tinago, Silas Mukaro, Eric Rukavhairo, Mercy Ranga and Future Titora.
Last year, Titora was also attacked by MDC Alliance youths at another funeral in Kwekwe and failed to address the mourners.
