Violence in Chimanimani

Some students from Mutambara Methodist mission in the area who spoke to us in Mutare said they are afraid to go back to school after what they experienced before the run off elections.The two headmasters from the primary and secondary schools at the mission and most staff members were severely assaulted in the presence of all students by ZANU PF youths who accused them of campaigning for the opposing MDC during the build up to the March 29 harmonized elections, said a secondary school student who can not be identified for fear of victimization.

The students said the youths set up a base at the mission a week before the run off elections where all night campaign meetings were being conducted.The primary school headmaster is in the Second Avenue Surgical Unit in Mutare where he is recovering and he has said he will not go back to Mutambara,’ said a primary school pupil.Following the invasion of the school by the youths the school had to close prematurely and some of the school children had to hide in the forest for several days before making their way to Mutare.

The students said they were assisted by the local pastor who phoned parents of some of the students to make arrangements to collect their children who were scattered all over Chimanimani.The youths also set up bases in surrounding communal areas where some business people were assaulted for allegedly selling goods at inflated prices to discredit the Mugabe regime.