HARARE – Three police officers were seriously injured in the early hours of Wednesday after their houses at Marimba police station were petrol bombed as political tensions remained high in Harare’s working class suburbs. Sources at the camp told ZimOnline that two women police officers suffered extensive burns on their faces in what the police suspected to be an act of retribution against the police following last weekend’s violence in Highfield.
A similar attack was also reported in at Nehanda police station in the Midlands city of Gweru. No one was injured in the Gweru attack.
Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena confirmed the incidents which he blamed on MDC youths. “I can confirm that incidents of such nature did happen last night and our initial investigations indicate that this is a continuation of the violence that is being perpetrated by unruly MDC elements in some parts of the high density suburbs in Harare," he said. Bvudzijena said two suspects had already been arrested in connection with the bombing of the police station in Marimba.
Tensions have been rising in Zimbabwe since last Sunday following protests between the police and MDC supporters n Highfield. An MDC youth member, Gift Tandare, was shot and killed by the police. MDC leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara as well as National Constitutional Assembly chairman, Lovemore Madhuku, were arrested and brutally tortured while in police custody.