Youth militia continues to wreak havoc despite Mugabe’s controversial reign

On Thursday, the ruling ZANU-PF youth militia took over a commuter omnibus rank in the city, forcing operators they believe to be members of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), to charge below market rate fares. They also raided a flea market in Nkulumane suburb and beat up
people randomly.”Commuter omnibus operators who do not belong to ZANU-PF schemes have been affected by this operation. They charge Z$10 billion per trip as they do not get subsidised fuel. But these youths are forcing them to charge fares that are not viable, said a tout. In some cases they want operators to charge as low as Z$1 billion per trip.Commuter omnibuses aligned to ZANU-PF are usually conspicuous by displaying posters of Mugabe, although even opposition supporters are employing the same tactics to minimise confrontation with the youths.There is a register where the youth militia check on the commuter omnibuses and the number of trips they make to reconcile fuel allocations.”It is unfair to us even though they give cheap fuel as the money we earn per day is too little. Some of us take the fuel then drain it for resale,” said Taruvinga Zinyengere, a commuter operator.The youth militia on Thursday invaded the Nkulumane flea market, popularly known as Sekusile, where they beat up people, including foreign currency dealers, whom they accused of fuelling the black market and being members the MDC.”They raided our stalls, took all they could and beat up people, mostly women, said a vendor, who survived the attack.The youths are camped at a city building in Bulawayo from where they strategise on their moves.Sources within their ranks revealed that ZANU-PF has neglected them after Mugabe’s win in a one-man presidential run-off last Friday, following the withdrawal of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai over claims of state-sponsored violence against his supporters. –CAJ News.