Zimbabwe Political Violence Takes On New Forms, Including Poison

Political violence continues unabated in Zimbabwe with perpetrators shifting
their tactics to include forcing their victims, mainly opposition members,
to drink poison.

A mother and her son were battling for their lives this week at a hospital

in Harare after they were force-fed poisoned by ruling ZANU-PF party militia

in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central province, in an incident in which three

other people died, as Sylvia Manika reported.

Sources in Midlands province said new torture camps have been set up by

pro-government militia in the Gokwe-Kabuyuni constituency where member of

parliament-elect Costain Muguti and about 30 others were abducted and

severely beaten by the militia on the weekend.

Zimbabwe Peace Project Chairman Alois Chaumba, who is also national director

of the Catholic Commission for Peace and Justice, told reporter Jonga

Kandemiiri that the pattern of violence shows ZANU-PF wants to silence the

opposition by all means possible.

In Manicaland province, spokesman Pishai Muchauraya of the opposition

Movement for Democratic Change said the militia are establishing more base

camps there too. He said the liberation war veterans working alongside the

militia have set up kangaroo courts in bases to try opposition activists and

sentence them to community service, in certain cases working on an

irrigation project in Gonzoni, Chimanimani West constituency, and repairing

roads.

Sources in Matabeleland North province said Pearson Mbalekwa,

parliamentarian-elect for Zvishavane, and 15 others continue in detention in

Hwange accused of inciting violence.

VOA

Post published in: News

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *