Zanu (PF) launches operation chimumumu

In most parts of the country, villagers have reported that they have been ordered to remain silent when the constitutional team comes to their areas. They have also been prevented to attend civic society meetings aimed at educating them about how they should participate in the constitution making process.

In Centenary Zanu (PF), through its Mazowe North legislator Retired Major Cairo Mhandu, has launched operation chimumumu meant to discourage villagers here from participating in the forthcoming constitution making process.

Chimumumu is a Shona word for a dumb person.

The Zanu (PF) leadership is said to have conducted a series of meetings during the last week of March in which they ordered the local traditional leadership to identify the partys supporters to speak on behalf of the rest of the people when the constitutional outreach team comes.

Mazowe North Member of the house of assembly Retired Major Cairo Mhandu and one Marvelous Gwanzura of Zanu (PF) addressed us on the 29th of May and ordered us not to say anything in the event that the constitutional outreach teams come to solicit our views. What this means is that we are not going to participate in the process because people will be victimised, said a villager who refused to named.

In Mutoko, Zanu (PF) sympathisers and traditional leaders were reportedly keeping registers of people who would have attended constitutional meetings organised by the civic society.

In the same area some traditional leaders said they had been ordered by the Central Intelligence Officers (CIO) to bar civic society meeting in their areas.

Mhandu and Gwanzura , under the command of Youth and Indigenous Minister Saviour Kasukuwere led a brutal campaign against Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters during the controversial 2008 presidential polls, leaving more than 11 MDC supporters dead in the area.

More than 200 MDC activists are said to have died during the political violence of 2008 while hundreds others were displaced from their homes

In Wedza MDC supporters and farm workers were also living in fear after they were warned by Zanu (PF) not to participate in the constitutional outreach meetings.

They were told to arrive late at the meetings so as not to contribute anything to the debate.

Zanu (PF) leaders, Kahari and Masaga, last week addressed and ordered us not to participate in the constitution outreach meetings. They chose people who will express views and suggested the rest of us keep quite. We were given an option of arriving late when proceedings are about to be finished, said a villager at Masomera Business Centre.

He threatened unspecified disciplinary measures for those who resist the orders.

On the land issue, villagers were instructed to approve the chaotic Zanu (PF) programme. Zanu (PF) leadership told us to indicate that the land redistribution programme benefited everyone and it is irreversible. We were warned that anyone who expresses independent views in the constitution making process without permission from Zanu (PF) leadership, will be beaten up and forced off the land, said another villager.

Following these threats, some villagers said they feared for their lives and had decided they would comply with Zanu (PF) orders.

Co-Home Affairs Minister Giles Mutsekwa said he will this week confront President Robert Mugabe and security chiefs on the issue of violence when the national Security Council meets this week.

I have been raising these issues in different forums including the Security Council. They have all condemned violence, but condemning alone is not enough ,we want to see action on the ground, and next week I am going to raise these issues once again to President Mugabe and service chiefs.

What is worrying at the moment is that only members of the MDC have been prosecuted and convicted if ever they have been involved in violence. This is our concern. I have brought these issues to the police commissioner general. He has given me responses and assurances that perpetrators are going to be brought to book but I am yet to see anybody from Zanu (PF) who has been brought to book for committing violence, Mutsekwa told Radio VOP recently in an exclusive interview.

There are several reports coming from Midlands and Mashonaland provinces of the re-emergency of torture bases being manned by uniformed soldiers who are threatening villagers to support the Kariba Draft during the constitution outreach programme.

The Kariba draft was agreed to by Zanu (PF) and the two MDCs as part of the GPA process. However Zanu (PF) is urging its supporters to endorse the draft as it is while the MDC wants people to debate the draft so that their views are also incorporated.

The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) have boycotted the process, saying it was not people driven.

In Gokwe reports said uniformed soldiers and war veterans had set torture bases at Manoti, Chireya, Kana and Masemo areas where they had dug deep pits to throw MDC supporters.

Recently at Kotwa in Mutoko Zanu (PF) militia comprising, George Katsande, Sovorodia Jobo, Lovemore Chirafu, Tatenda Kamungara, David Sabau, Martin Majokara, Mai Machipisa, one Chiusekedzo, Rosemery Kanembo, Rosemary Nyamino, Chidanawo Karonga and Dudzai Chirapu, were reportedly moving around taking down names of villagers, who would have attended civic society meetings and threaten them with death and expulsions from their villages.

Villagers at Kotwa business centre said the group leader, who is Zanu (PF) Mudzi District Tafirenyika Nyune was the only person who could sanction people to attend a constitutional meeting in the area. They said villagers were allowed to attend Zanu (PF) constitutional meetings only.

We are being threatened with death and expulsion from our homes when we either attend civic society constitution making meetings. They (militia) have identified people who will speak when the constitutional team comes. We are really living in danger, said a villager.

Mutsekwa said: There is really nothing as MDC we can do to make sure that our people are secure besides abiding to democratic principles of not to retaliate.

He said Zanu (PF) had failed to transform from a guerrilla movement.

It does not have a characteristic of a political party. It has since 1980 adopted a culture of violence and intimidation as its campaign strategy. There is very little we can do to change the culture of Zanu (PF). What we can do is to ensure that they are out of power, so that we usher in a new political dispensation in Zimbabwe and a new culture of persuasion when it comes to political campaigns and that is the route we are taking.

There is very little that the SADC or GPA facilitator South African President Jacob Zuma can do to change the violent culture that is embedded in Zanu (PF). What they can do to help the situation in Zimbabwe is to ensure that there are relatively free and fair elections in the country said Mutsekwa.

National Association of Non Governmental Organizations (NANGO) chief Executive Cephas Zinhumwe said the civic society would continue to engage the government and fight for their space.

The environment has changed. Its no longer the time of throwing stones, because the GPA gives us the leeway to engage and negotiate.

We will continue fight for our space and rights and this we are not doing it for ourselves but for the people of Zimbabwe. Its wrong for traditional leaders to disrupt our work.

Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) National Director Rindai Chipfunde Vava said there was need by the civic society to seriously engage leaders of the three main political parties on the issue.

“Electoral Constitutional matters are human rights and no one should be deprived of those rights. We need to seriously engage leaders of all political parties and tell them that our programmes are not political. We also need to hold some training workshops with traditional leaders so that when we get into areas of their jurisdiction will not find resistance, she said.