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MDC's Chamisa 'faces arrest' for inciting post-election violence – report

Zimbabwean police have reportedly said they are now close to arresting opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party leader Nelson Chamisa for inciting violence that led to the deadly military crackdown, which left six people dead.

On August 1, armed soldiers were deployed in the capital, Harare, to suppress a protest against delays in announcing results of the country's first elections without former ruler Robert Mugabe.

Gunfire erupted and six people died, Associated Press reported. 

President Emmerson Mnangagwa set up a commission of inquiry, headed by former South African president Kgalema Motlanthe, to probe the killings.

Despite widely published photos and videos showing the Zimbabwean soldiers firing on people in Harare's streets, army generals said under oath this week that  they did not believe the troops shot at people.

Giving oral evidence before the commission, Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda said he did not believe the army was responsible for the carnage, said an AFP report.

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"I do not believe that any of the soldiers fired. Yes, they fired in the air, but I do not believe any could have aimed shots at the civilians. I have no reason to believe that one of the soldiers could have shot and killed those people," said Sibanda.

Following the military generals testimony, an acting officer commanding (crime) Harare, Detective Chief Inspector Edmore Runganga, told the commission that the police were now close to arresting Chamisa, reported the privately owned NewsDay newspaper.

"We have not made any arrests of people who were inciting violence prior to the elections because we are investigating to try and have concrete evidence on how they incited the violence. Once the investigations are complete, they will definitely be charged for inciting violence, as defined by section 187, as read with section 36 and 37 of the Code," Runganga was quoted as saying.

The Harare based detective placed huge portion of blame on the MDC aligned supporters, as he claimed that they were in possession of small firearms.

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