AN MDC-T official in Magwegwe constituency has applied for a peace order against the party’s area legislator Anele Ndebele whom he accused of hiring thugs to beat up rival party members.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Douglas Mwatse, who is MDC-T Magwegwe North secretary for mines, says he now fears for his life after he was allegedly assaulted at his home by Ndebele’s alleged hit squad last Saturday.
Mwatse claimed he was assaulted while addressing an MDC-T district meeting at his home
However, Ndebele denied the charges and said Mwatse was actually part of a plot to kill him after losing the bid to represent the party in the 2013 general elections.
Mwatse said it was not the first time the legislator had threatened him.
“I was holding a district meeting at my house when known thugs that are always in the company of Ndebele came uninvited and disrupted our gathering,” he said
“We tried to chase them away and they retaliated by beating me up. I reported the case to the police.
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“This is not the first time that Ndebele has sent thugs to harass me, as a similar incident happened last year September.
“I want a peace order or a protection order against these people. I am not feeling safe. The problem is that the MP harasses members whom he suspects are after his post.”
Ndebele confirmed there was bad blood between him and Mwatse, and accused the fellow party member of plotting to kill him.
“It’s sheer malice. He is still in contestation mood, but I have a term of office to see through and I am enjoying it,” he said.
“I have something they admire; the seat, which is why at every opportunity they desire to soil my image.
“They hold meetings day and night to plot my ouster. A week ago, one of their recruits came to me shell shocked as she felt things were getting out of hand as they had been discussing how I could be poisoned.”
“This is how bad the whole situation is. How does a healthy contest for a seat degenerate into such unhealthy antagonism?
“I had suspended all meetings in my district, but he went ahead and organised one at his house without reporting to the police,” Ndebele added Mwatse denied the charges, and instead claimed the legislator does not deserve to be in Parliament “as he is a street fighter.”
He was making reference to the suspension of Ndebele last year on charges that he assaulted the party’s Magwegwe district deputy chairperson Tronix Nyamupingidza in November 2013 for allegedly convening a constituency meeting without his knowledge.
