MP arrested over Tsvangirai seeds

Bindura South MP (MDC-T) Bednock Nyaude was arrested over the weekend for allegedly distributing maize seeds sourced by party leader Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Nyaude confirmed the arrest and brief detention at Bindura Police Station. He said police claimed they were acting on orders from their unnamed superiors.

“On Friday evening, I got a call from a police detail saying they understood I was going to have a meeting the next day at my place.

“I confirmed to them that I was going to give out maize seeds sourced by our party president and it would be indoors,” Nyaude said.

“The next morning, a delegation of about six police officers from Law and Order Section came and I told them the meeting was going to be indoors.

“They laid an ambush and saw a vehicle loaded with maize which they followed up to my place.
“They accused us of holding an unsanctioned meeting and threatened to arrest all of us.

“I told them I was distributing maize seeds the same way Zanu PF was doing with maize seed from its leader (Robert Mugabe).”

Zanu PF has been distributing maize to its supporters sourced by President Mugabe throughout the country.

“I am surprised the police want to stop us from doing the same,” Nyaude said.

“This is clearly undermining an equal partner in the inclusive government.

“They took me around 4pm and I was released around 8pm.”

Police could not immediately comment on the matter as their national spokespersons were unreachable on their mobile phones.