As many as 15 people were injured, two of them possibly dead, after soldiers taking part in this year's Marondera Agricultural Show apparently used live ammunition during their demonstration. Two of the exhibitors and several parents contacted by The Standard yesterday confirmed the tragedy and said it happened around 3PM when soldiers were performing a mock drill involving "enemies". A school teacher, who accompanied school children, said: "I was sitting right at the entrance to the Cold Storage Company stand under a tree, watching the military demonstration. Something exploded and there was a stampede. People were screaming, running in all directions. I saw a man in khaki trousers. He was injured in the legs. We could see his fractured bones. His wife, who was with him, started crying for help. One woman was injured on the chest. Two military ambulances ferried people. A Marondera Hospital ambulance also carried people."
According to the schoolteacher, the soldiers were performing a mock battle and their "enemies" threw a grenade. Two of the soldiers, covered in white cloth, were ferried by an army helicopter. She said: "I'm really scared. Right now I wonder how I managed to escape unharmed," she said after uniting with her husband.
An official at Marondera Hospital, who spoke to The Standard as the injured were being admitted, said they had admitted 10 people with two transferred to Harare because they had sustained serious injuries. He said: "There was a mock battle by soldiers and people were shot. This happened around 3pm. We are admitting people right now. The full details are still unclear." Two of the exhibitors confirmed shooting during the army drill when live ammunition was apparently used triggering off the tragedy. They put the number of the injured at 15. One of the exhibitors said: "It appeared they did not know they were using live ammunition. One of the soldiers ran down to stop them. But already the shooting had unleashed panic, triggering off a stampede."
| "The party was just ruined!" |
| Wonder how anyone ever gets married over there. |
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