Climate of fear hovers over Buhera again

Since then, the political duel in Buhera – where President Robert Mugabes strongest challenger in his political history comes from – has claimed lives of many MDC supporters, displaced them and destroyed their property worth millions of dollars.

Now villagers have complained that Zanu (PF) is re-establishing militia bases in the area, saying they live in constant fear of harassment and beatings by thugs aligned to the former ruling party, just like they experienced in the sham June 2008 election. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew from the race citing massive violence against his supporters.

Mugabe went ahead with the one-man race that saw him winning the run off election.

Titus Mapenzauswa, a villager, said there was a high presence of armed military in the area, moving around with Zanu (PF) youths, terrorizing perceived enemies of the former ruling party.

The military and other state security agents are terrorising villagers. Definitely a climate of fear has enveloped the whole Buhera district, said Mapenzauswa.

According to a Zimbabwe Peace Project report (Views report of May 2008), Buhera South was the most affected by political violence during the period leading to the election runoff.

The violence in Buhera was mainly attributed to self-styled war veterans and serving army officers.

Margaret Sauti, a woman whose 20-year-old son was severely burnt on the legs by the youth militia in June 2008, still carries the memories and fears that this might come again with the news that elections might be held in August this year.

Known youths and war vets led by Petros Jiri and Morris Mabiza, among others, used a house at Marenga business centre as an abduction and torture base for many kidnapped apolitical residents and supporters of Tsvangirai. The place was in effect a loot kraal for animals seized from MDC-T supporters, said a tearful Sauti.

Now we are seeing a new crop of young militias moving around our villages telling us not to repeat what we did in 2008 – supporting Tsvangirai, said the elderly woman in a voice full of fear.

During the run up to the presidential elections of 2008, scores of residents and MDC supporters were abducted, tortured and victimised in dark rooms in Marenga and Gaza business centres of Buhera by President Robert Mugabes thugs.

Hebert Makoni a political analyst said: The violence in Murambinda and other areas of Buhera is a slap in the face of the inclusive governments efforts to stabilize the country.

Even traditional leaders have complained of overzealous Zanu (PF) youth militia forcing villagers to surrender their political party allegiances.

A headman who cannot be named said: A lot of violence and intimidation is going on in communities without being reported particularly in Murambinda, Gaza and Marenga.

The headman said he had seen enough death as a result of political violence.

I have witnessed about five deaths of MDC supporters in my area in the last election and I do not want to see further deaths because of this violence. Zanu (PF) and MDC should work closely in trying to solve the problem of violence, he said.

A human rights group, Heal Zimbabwe, said recently that the silence of the Organ on National Healing had become a cause for concern.

As long as the Organ on National Healing cannot make meaningful inroads in communities torn apart by polarisation for so long a time then the call or talk for new elections which is transparent and fair will remain a pipe dream, said the organisation in a statement.

We call upon the GPA principals to come to their senses and have peoples lives at heart by postponing an election until a conducive environment is created where people will not lose their lives simply because they hold a different political view from others, it added.

Heal Zimbabwe contented that as long as the issue of political violence was not properly addressed and communities have not yet been de-militarized, it would be a sheer waste of resources to undergo an election whose outcome will definitely be questioned due to the unlevel playing field.

The Human Rights group said the Principals to the Global Political Agreement should be concentrating on reforming key strategic institutions that would ensure fair and free elections which are not contested but taken as a true reflection of peoples wishes.