Hundreds of rowdy ZANU PF supporters reportedly overran a tollgate in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East Province after vandalising a side gate and driving through in a convoy of nearly 15 vehicles on Saturday.
ZimLive reported sources as saying the ZANU PF supporters were returning from a rally at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera.
Four buses arrived at the tollgate en route to Harare at around 6.30 PM, and rowdy ZANU PF supporters reportedly harassed Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA) staff demanding free passage.
A ZINARA employee refused to allow the buses through without paying the US$4 or ZWL$1 400 toll fees for each bus.
The ZANU PF mob then forced open the boom gate and waved the buses through as deployed armed police officers watched on helplessly.
One motorist who was passing through the tollgate when the fracas occurred told ZimLive that ZANU PF supporters grabbed the ZINARA supervisor and threatened to beat him up for attempting to deny them free passage. Said the motorist:
Just after the buses left, another convoy of between 12 and 15 Zanu PF vehicles displaying President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s pictures pulled up.
They also demanded to be let through, but ZINARA employees refused them passage, pointing out that they had no exemptions for free passage.
A stand-off ensued and at one point they manhandled the ZINARA supervisor threatening to beat him up.
As this was happening, others forced open a side gate used by construction vehicles and their vehicles drove through. It was an orgy of lawlessness.
More: ZimLive