Jacob Katsande was lucky to escape unhurt, he says, when troops opened fire with live rounds on the streets of Zimbabwe’s capital. He was among hundreds of people who were protesting against what they claimed was the theft of the country’s elections. Two of his friends are in hospital, shot in the leg, another with wounds from a beating.

The government of Emmerson Mnangagwa, who won the bitterly disputed presidential poll, the first one in 38 years without Robert Mugabe in power, had promised an independent investigation into the shooting. But there is little belief among the opposition that anyone would face charges over the killing of six people and injury to 30 others.

Instead, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) claim security forces have been hunting down its supporters, meting out beatings, destroying properties and carrying out arbitrary arrests.

Mr Katsande, 26, and unemployed since he graduated three years ago with an electronics degree, has heard that his name is on the list of those to be detained. But he has no intention, he says, of running away. “I have done nothing wrong, I will go to court if that’s what happens and tell the truth that is that we were attacked without provocation,” he maintains.

Many others, however, are not particularly confident of getting justice and are not hanging around. Nkululeko Sibanda, a senior MDC official, said “a lot of people are hiding. It’s scarier than the Mugabe times.” He was speaking at the central courthouse in Harare where 27 people were appearing charged with various offences, including inciting violence.

“There is a pattern to this, we are aware that the government is trying to build a case to say that our party is violent, it is just another example of their hypocrisy,” said Mr Sibanda, who is an advisor to MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, who was the main challenger to Mr Mnangagwa in the election.

Zimbabwe election: Shots fired at protesting crowds in Harare as violence escalates

Mr Katsande gathered with others outside the headquarters of the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC), which has been accused by Mr Chamisa and the MDC of working in collusion with the ruling Zanu-PF party.

“The vote had been hijacked and we went to Rainbow Towers (where ZEC was based) to show our displeasure. The police used teargas and water cannons on us to break up our demonstration. But the real problem started when the troops turned up. We were running away when they started firing and my friends and others got hurt,” he recalled.

“All I did was demonstrate, which is my right, so how am I guilty of anything? They are targeting people who backed MDC.”

Mr Mnangagwa, who was one of Mr Mugabe’s closest allies but played a key role in his overthrow when the two men fell out, has presented an image of magnanimity after his victory. After winning the count on the presidential poll he tweeted: “Although we were divided at the polls, we are united in our dreams. This is a new beginning, let us join hands in peace, unity & love to build a new Zimbabwe for all.”

However the MDC headquarters have been raided, with people arrested and computers seized. And, on Friday, police charged into the Bronte Hotel in the centre of Harare, where Mr Chamisa was due to hold a press conference and ordered journalists, international observers and human rights activists to leave.

In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Show all 55 1 /55 In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election People in Mbare celebrate after officials announced the re-election of President Emmerson Mnangagwa Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters celebrate at the Harare International Convention Centre in the early hours Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election People in Mbare celebrate Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election People in Mbare celebrate Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters sing and dance soon after the announcement EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters sing and dance soon after the results of the Presidential elections were announced at the Harare International Convention Centre EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A vendor sells sponges near newspaper headlines on the streets of Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the newly reelected Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa celebrate in Mbare AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election People in Mbare celebrate Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A man reads a Zimbabwean newspaper the day after the violence on the streets of Harare EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A soldier fires shots towards demonstrators AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A wounded man reacts at the sight of soldiers while taking shelter in a stall at a market in Harare AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC) light a fire in the streets of Harare. Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Soldiers open fire to disperse crowds of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters outside the party's headquarters in Harare REUTERS In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Opposition MDC party supporters hold a voting placard up high on a street in Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A supporter of Zimbabwean opposition MDC Alliance allegedly beaten up by soldiers sits with blood on his face as other protesters assist him AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A vendor scurries for cover with her wares as soldiers disperse demonstrators AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A wounded man hides under a tarpauling while the Zimbabwean Army patrols the streets of Harare AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Anti-riot police officers close the entrance to the Rainbow Towers, where the election results were announced in Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Soldiers open fire on citizens REUTERS In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Citizens run the Zimbabwean army during protests in Harare Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC) protest the result of the election, which they allege to be fraudulent Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition protest in the streets of Harare as police fire tear gas AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A soldier assaults a man on the streets of Harare during protests AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Zimbabwean anti riot police officers sit in a truck amidst protesters on the streets of Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Citizens run from riot police amidst protests in Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Soldiers patrol the streets during protests in Harare Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A Zimbabwean soldier beats a man on the streets of Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A man lies dead after the Zimbabwean army shot at protesters in Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A supporter of the opposition party protests in the streets of Harare Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Zimbabwean soldiers beats an opposition supporter on the streets of Harare Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition protest in the streets of Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition protest in the streets of Harare as police fire tear gas Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition burn a campaign banner of the ruling Zanu-PF party Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A man casts his vote in Mbare, a suburb of Zimbabwean capital Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A police officer keeps watch of queuing voters in Mbare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Voters stand in line outside a polling station in Mbare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Election officials remove political posters near a polling station on voting day Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Oppostion leader Nelson Chamisa arrives at a polling station in Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Oppostion leader Nelson Chamisa casts his vote AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa arrives to cast his vote in Kwekwe Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa casts his vote AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Voters stand in line outside a polling station in Kwekwe AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A woman prays outside a polling station in Mbare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Voters arrive at a polling station in Harare EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Former president Robert Mugabe prepares to cast his vote in Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A woman casts her vote in Mbare, a suburb of capital Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A woman casts her vote in the township of Makokoba Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A police officer casts his vote in Mbare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A woman prays near a polling station in Mbare EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A man casts his vote in Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Former president Robert Mugabe speaks at a press conference the day before the vote where he stated that he would not be voting for his former Zanu-PF party Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A supporter of the opposition MDC party attends the final campaign rally in Harare on July 28 Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) party attends the final campaign rally in Harare on July 28 EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) party attends the final campaign rally in Harare on July 28 EPA

The briefing eventually went ahead. Mr Mnangagwa said yet another inquiry will be launched into the raid, tweeting: “The scenes today at the Bronte Hotel have no place in our society and we are urgently investigating the matter to understand exactly what happened. Over the past nine months we have protected freedom of speech and the right to criticise the government.”

Mr Chamisa, the president said, had an important role to play in the new Zimbabwe. But it has been claimed that a warrant has been issued against the MDC chief and other opposition leaders for “possession of dangerous weapons” and encouraging “public violence”, although no attempt has been made as yet to detain him.

The 27 who appeared in court on Saturday were arrested in the raid on the MDC headquarters on Thursday. Their legal team said that they would deny taking part in any act of violence and prove that they had been in the process of delivering results from the provinces.