Karoi under seige by ZANU-PF functionaries

Victimization of perceived supporters of the MDC still continues in Karoi, 7 months after the disputed March 29 elections.

It is reported that the notorious Zanu PF member of parliament for Magunje, Frank Ndambakuwa allegedly dismissed 25 of his farm laborers from his Ian Crocker Farm, accusing them of voting for the MDC during the March 29 elections.

Ndambakuwa is responsible for spearheading the violent crackdown against MDC supporters in Magunje and Hurungwe East post March 29 and is personally responsible for the April shooting of Peterson Kwenda that resulted in him losing his left leg.

Victimisation is set to continue since the government, responsible for organizing and funding the brutual post March 29 onslaught did not give the order for the violence and victimization to be stopped. As a result animosity will continue between supporters from Zanu PF and MDC, leaving the possibility of reconciliation a faraway dream.

The province of Mashonaland West, where Karoi falls in recorded a significantly high number of incidents of political violence and is where the first murder case of an MDC supporter was recorded.

Hunger and suffering has taken its toll on some residents in Karoi who in desperation have resorted to visiting nearby farms where they pick left over maize grain and soya beans from last season’s harvest from the fields to supplement on food. The town of Karoi grew and prospered hinging on commercial agriculture as the main economic activity, and the collapse of agriculture after the farm invasions resulted in a large influx of unemployed ex farm laborers moving into the town.

The town has gone for more than a month without clean running water and residents are getting untreated water from a nearby dam. This has consequently resulted in an increase of diarrhea cases at the local district hospital, and if the current situation remains unaddressed an outbreak of the deadly cholera is foreseen in the near future.

Harare Tribune

Post published in: News

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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