Police, militia terrorise MDC in Mtoko

The police officers teaming up with members of the criminal investigations department (CID) are reportedly hunting down MDC organizing secretaries, threatening them with unspecified action if they continue mobilizing villagers for rallies.

“As organizing secretaries, we are accused of mobilizing people to attend successful MDC rallies. With MDC rallies now more popular than Zanu (PF) gatherings, the police have vowed to silence us. The police, criminal court officials and Zanu (PF) leaders are accusing us of inciting victims of the 2008 political violence to claim property looted by Zanu thugs,” said a Mtoko East MDC activist who refused to be identified for security reasons.

He said the Zanu (PF) member of parliament for Mtoko East, Oddo Nyakudanga, had threatened to order an immediate re-arrest of villagers who recovered property grabbed from them by Zanu thugs last year. “Nyakudanga is addressing small pockets of remnants of Zanu following, telling them there was never an inclusive government in Zimbabwe. The MP’s slogans renounce Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as a puppet of western countries. Dockets of villagers who claimed their property from sponsored Zanu thugs, are being revisited by the police to resume prosecutions,” said the source.

Some MDC activists facing trumped up charges in the area, are due to appear in court soon. They are being represented by prominent Human Rights Lawyer, Alec Muchadehama.

Residents of Mtoko are living in constant fear of Zanu militia driving around in a vehicle suspected to be owned by a military junta, Wing Commander Bramwell Katwairo of the Air Force. Katsvairo was recently admitted in hospital due to failing health. Hired Zanu militia are hunting down MDC leadership in Mtoko East. “Self styled war collaborators and Zanu youths are promised money by MP Nyakudanga if they set up Zanu bases,” another source said.