Supporters gathered at the open space between Rainbow Towers Hotel and Rotten Row Magistrate court as early as 9am for the rally.
However, clashes broke out when t-shirts branded with ZimPF leader Joice Mujuru’s face were being distributed around mid-day.
Not helping matters was frustration arising from the fact that although supporters gathered at the venue in the morning, Mujuru only arrived at about 1345 hours and addressed the crowd just after 1500 hours.
When distribution of party regalia started, scuffles broke out and continued for several minutes with repeated calls for order totally ignored.
Ushers started giving the t-shirts to women sitting at the front but youths standing at the back, fearing the freebies might run out before their turn, started pushing and shoving as they moved to the front, stamping on supporters seated on the ground.
The evidently unprepared ZPF security personnel had a torrid time trying to restore order.
Realising they could not stop the chaos, the security officers instead tried to stop journalists filming scuffles.
Some party leaders sitting in the VIP tent had to remove their own party t-shits and gave them to supporters in a bid to help calm the situation.
When normalcy was eventually restored, Master of Ceremony Paddington Japajapa tried to chant the party slogan but only got jeers in return and calls for t-shirts.
“More t-shirts are coming and everyone will get one,” shouted Japajapa.
He was booed by the supporters and only saved further embarrassment when the DJ started playing a song that praises Mujuru as a brave guerrilla.
