Biata Beatrice Nyamupinga is the Member of Parliament for Goromonzi West and chair of the parliamentary womens caucus. Nyamupinga was furious with Jestina Mukoko (Pictured)Her name is bandied about as a so-called Zanu (PF) moderate. Following is a summary of the actions of this Zanu (PF) moderate in the period between the March and June 2008 elections.
During the run-up to the presidential run-off elections in June 2008, Nyamupinga moved around the Domboshava and Chinhamhora communal areas campaigning for the Zanu (PF) presidential can-didate, Robert Mugabe. She was always accompanied by a troop of the partys youth mili-tia and suspected CIO agents. This team was seen driving in two Mitsubishi trucks, fol-lowed by Nyamupingas car – a cream Mazda 626. This group hunted and terrorized MDC supporters through-out the constituency. A list of names of her victims has been compiled from first hand accounts, but cannot be pub-lished for fear of reprisals.
May 29, 2008
An MDC activist in the Goromonzi West Constituency was abduct-ed from his home by the group of Zanu (PF) militia led by Nyamupinga. They assaulted him, destroyed his homestead, took away his household property and sub-jected his wife and children to a thorough beating that lasted for hours. They then took him to their Base at Chogugudza Primary School for another round of torture and beatings. He was eventu-ally released after the sham 27 June election.
June 11, 2008
An MDC supporter who owned a small retail shop was abducted in the evening. The people who attacked him were all members of the Zanu (PF) campaign team. These militia were led by Tendayi Maruta and was using a car provided by Nyamupinga. He was severely assaulted at his shop before being taken to Chogugudza Primary School base; he was tortured and transferred to another base in Bindura (Mashonaland Central). He managed to escape from the Bindura base and fled to Botswana where he sought refuge.
June 17, 2008
Another supporter was attacked at her home on 17 June 2008 by a gang of Zanu (PF) Militia sent by Nyamupingu. They accused her of supporting the MDC, they assaulted her on the but-tocks and she sustained severe injuries. She was warned not to seek any medical help or they would kill her for doing so.
June 19, 2008
Nyamupinga and her con-voy of three vehicles went to a Primary School in her constituency. The youths in her group were led by Peter Maruta who looked for and apprehended an MDC sup-porter. They assaulted him in the presence of the MP and she never stopped them from carrying out this barbaric act. They then took him to their base at Chogugudza Primary School. He was tortured at the base. When he was later instructed to go and collect his MDC regalia and bring it to the base, he grabbed this chance and fled to Harare .
June 28, 2008
A group of Zanu (PF) youths using a party vehicle that had been availed to them by Nyamupingu descended on the home of known MDC supporter in the Domboshava area looking for him. Fortunately he had got wind that the militia was looking for him and had managed to leave before their arrival. This incensed the Zanu (PF) gang and they destroyed his entire homestead to the ground.
28 June 2008
A headman from a village in Nyamupingas constitu-ency was attending a meeting addressed by the MP, when Reuben Zulu pointed him out that he was an MDC activist . Zanu (PF) youths who were accompanying the MP assault-ed him before all the people gathered at the meeting. He pleaded with the MP to stop them but she said it was his fault and that he should go through the cleansing process.
November 2008
Nyamupinga was reported to have a left a workshop fum-ing with anger that Jestina Mukoko, the director of ZPP, had given a presentation which said Goromonzi West constitu-ency had gone through a wave of severe political violence in the period preceding the June 27, 2008 elections. She warned Jestina that she would pay for it. The activist was abducted from her home a few days later. She was only produced by the state a few days before Christmas. Unconfirmed reports say a car similar to Nyamupingas Mazda 626 was seen at the scene of Jestinas abduction. Many victims have reported being assaulted by the army based at Domboshava barracks in her constituency reportedly at Nyamupingas instigation.
Post published in: Politics