In August this year, a soldier with the Presidential Guard, William Makurumidze, in the company of a police officer identified as Constable John Kanyongo, allegedly abducted two MDC-T activists, Bolden Nhika and Petros Makaza from their home after they had refused to give in to demands to remove MDC-T regalia they were wearing the previous day at Munyuki Shopping Centre.
The two were taken to Mbare where they were allegedly tortured by a Zanu (PF) youth militia, Chipangano, at the party’s offices. They were then handed over to the police on allegations of stealing a cellphone from one of their torturers.
However when the case was heard before the Harare Magistrate Jackie Munyonga last month, the activists’ lawyers argued that the pair’s right to protection from inhuman treatment as enshrined in Section 15(1) of the constitution was contravened when they were tortured.
MDC-T Organising Secretary for Epworth, Samson Ketuno said the groups of soldiers were moving around terrorizing known MDC-T activists in public places such drinking places and shopping centres at night. The rowdy soldiers, he said, are moving around clad in uniform and have sworn to punish all Zanu (PF) opponents in the area.
“Since the case of Makurumidze went before the courts, the soldiers have been moving around intimidating known MDC-T activists at public places. We no longer go to the shops as usual and we are hearing that the riot police have also joined the clampdown on MDC-T activists. What they are saying is that they want to cleanse the place of all MDC elements,” said Ketuno.
This has also made it difficult for the MDC-T members in Epworth to hold party meetings for fear of being victimized by the soldiers who are reportedly working in cahoots with some Zanu (PF) youths.
Ketuno said the Zanu (PF) terror bases where MDC-T supporters were tortured during the bloody 2008 elections have resurfaced in Epworth, mostly in Ward 4.
Bolden Nhika, Vice Organizing Secretary for Youths in Epworth’s Ward 2, said: “I think the soldiers want to fix us for having reported one of them to the courts and they also want to instil fear in our supporters ahead of the elections. Their conduct is indeed a threat to peaceful and free elections.”
MDC-N President, Welshman Ncube, speaking recently after the disruption of his party’s rally in Mutoko by a group of rowdy soldiers, blamed senior army officials for meddling in politics.
“There is no member of a disciplined force who would do that unless acting from a command. I do not think these soldiers were acting independently but I am convinced they were acting on command,”said Ncube
Post published in: News