The mobs of violent Zanu (PF) youths who are causing chaos in Harare and other urban centres were trained for two months outside Harare, at the Inkomo army barracks, SW Radio Africa can reveal. (Pictured: Zimbabwes soldiers have long been accused of masterminding political violence and human right
Leaked confidential documents show that Mugabes regime has since November 2010 been recruiting impoverished youths from rural areas and giving them military training. Codenamed Operation Return to ZANU the regime is said to be planning on training up to 70 000 youths by the end of May 2011 and these will be deployed to terrorise perceived opposition supporters. Recruitment has mainly been conducted in Mashonaland West, East and Central provinces, traditionally viewed as Zanu (PF) strongholds and venues some of the worst political violence over the years.
Already some of the graduates have helped beat up MDC activists at the partys offices in Mbare, destroyed the house of local councillor Paul Gorekore over the weekend and disrupted council business at Harares Town House on Wednesday. We have been told 70 youths were trucked into Mbare from the Inkomo barracks, using a white Nissan UD registration number AAM 7901.
Apart from terrorising opposition supporters, the youths have been tasked with forcing people to purchase Zanu (PF) membership cards, ahead of possible elections. For example in the Mangisi area of Chief Sayi, in Gokwe South, people are being forced to buy Zanu (PF) cards. The main culprits in the intimidation have been identified as Joshua Mutero Bhebhe and Marvellous Dhobhani.
In Mhondoro, Ngezi, the MDC district chairman has reported that 45 Zanu (PF) youths were deployed into his area last week. They are going from ward to ward seeing the Sabhuku’s (headmen) and telling them that they don’t want to see MDC (supporters) in their area. He also said they are referring to MDC supporters as black-whites in an apparent campaign to whip up hatred.
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