National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) leader Professor Lovemore Madhuku and several members of his party were left nursing serious injuries after unidentified assailants stormed their offices and violently attacked them.
The incident allegedly occurred in the presence of two police trucks, with uniformed officers said to have watched as the assault unfolded.
According to Madhuku, the attackers made it clear that he had become a target because of his strong opposition to the Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3. He told NewZimbabwe.com that they informed him, point-blank, that he was "a thorn in their flesh" due to his stance against the proposed changes.
The constitutional law expert has vowed to persist in his campaign against the controversial Bill. The proposed amendment seeks to extend the president's term from the current five years to seven. In addition, the Bill proposes to restrict presidential elections to Parliament alone, among other far-reaching constitutional changes.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Madhuku convened a consultative meeting at the NCA headquarters in Harare on Sunday to reaffirm the party's opposition to the Bill.
"We had called for a consultative meeting of the NCA leadership from across the country and we were at our head office. We wanted to start our meeting to look at the Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 and to confirm our stance that we are opposed to it.
"The police were there all the time. Just about five or so guys just came in with balaclavas and ordered everyone to leave. They came straight for me and started assaulting me saying 'you want to create problems for us' and so on. They were beating me all over using baton sticks," Madhuku said.
When asked whether it was the police who assaulted him, Madhuku maintained that the officers were present and complicit.
"The police were with them. There were two police vehicles there but the police said nothing. Just were just seated there watching," Madhuku said.
Several party members were reportedly beaten with batons. One member, identified as Effort Manono, was admitted to a local hospital in Harare and placed on oxygen. Witnesses said Manono struggled to breathe, with visible head injuries and blood trickling down his face. Madhuku himself sustained multiple baton marks across his back.
Before leaving the scene, the assailants allegedly confiscated Madhuku's mobile phone and other valuables.
Meanwhile, the police have denied any involvement in the fracas, stating that they are keen to establish what transpired, adding that NCA had sought clearance for the meeting which was denied. NCA, however, insists no such clearance was requested, as the gathering was a closed-door private meeting.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
