Timothy Ngwenya, MDC (Tsvangirai) councilor for Ward 22 in Silobela in
Midlands Province has fled this week to South Africa for fear of his
life after reportedly being threatened by alleged ZANU (PF) militia
men ahead of the nomination exercise scheduled for January next year.
He said he would only be going back to the country then as he was
still willing to contest his position in next year’s council
elections.
 “People who said they were working under orders from the President’s
office, they threatened to deal with me if I continued campaigning for
the election next year. I was left with no choice but to cross the
border illegally to seek refuge in South Africa,” Ngwenya said.
This is the latest in a round of violence that the ruling party has
unleashed on the opposition, a development that has questioned the
ruling party’s commitment to ensuring a free and fair election next
year, and the SADC-initiated talks.
The wave of violence led to the main wing of the opposition, who have
been on the receiving end in most instances, presented their
grievances to the Minister of Home Affairs, Kembo Mohadi.
The minister however maintained there was no widespread violence
targeted at the opposition.
Zimbabweans go to a crucial poll next year in the back of a deepening
economic recession. Like in previous elections violence, violence is
flaring up ahead of the vote.
MDC Treasurer-General now living in exile in South Africa, Roy Bennet,
however denied knowledge of a councillor who had fled to the country.
“I am not ware of that at all,” he said. – CAJ News
Post published in: News