Masvingo-Bikita South Tense
The political atmosphere in Bikita South is tense. On the 3rd of July, Mr Zare a ZANU PF ward 8 councillor and his party colleagues threatened Steven Saidi an MDC supporter and other unnamed MDC supporters that if they are not willing to leave MDC and join ZANU PF they will be killed soon after the elections.
Masvingo-Chiredzi Tense On the 6th of July in Mukwasini Estate, MDC supporters had their party regalia seized and burnt by ZANU PF supporters. The case has been reported to the police but nothing has been done yet.
Masvingo-Chivi Tense Villagers in Ngundu village are living in fear after soldiers went around intimidating and threatening them about the upcoming elections saying that if they do not vote for ZANU PF the violence that happened in 2008 will be repeated again this year.
Masvingo Zaka Central Tense In ward 15, one Martin Chivamba a Headman is denying MDC supporters access to food aid because they belong to a different party from his which is ZANU PF. He recently took away people’s national identity cards on the pretext that he wanted to have their names on the database for food aid and when the community members asked for their identity cards to go and register as voters or check their names on the voters roll, he refused only to give them back when the voter registration process had ended.
Masvingo- Zaka Central Tense In Ward 15 Zaka Central, Mulungishi village, a retired soldier, Nicholas Mabasa on the 5th of July 2013, went to Jenipher Makadho’s house and threatened her with death if she continues to campaign for the post of councillor on an MDC ticket. He threatened her that she should stop campaigning or else he would slit her neck for daring to stand on an MDC ticket. He also used abusive and vulgar language on her.
In a related incident, one Paul Chadya a resident of ward 15 who happens to be a ZANU PF activist in the area is moving around threatening and intimidating MDC supporters. He barred all MDC activists from wearing their party regalia and threatened them with death if they dare wear the regalia in the area.
Masvingo –Gutu Central Tense In Gutu Central, Mupandawana Growth Point, ZANU PF youth militia clad in their party’s regalia spent the whole of last week harassing vendors at the growth point. They were forcing everyone to produce a ZANU PF membership card or risk having their stalls forcefully taken from them.
Masvingo –Chivi South Tense On Sunday the 6th of July, Headman Madzivire, who was supposed to give a sermon at a local church diverted from his preaching and started threatening the congregation. The Headman stated that he was going to invite soldiers to beat up everyone in the area if they do not vote for ZANU PF candidates in the forthcoming elections. He also promised to chase away all known MDC supporters in his area if ZANU PF wins or loses the elections.
Masvingo –Chivi South Tense In ward 25, Solomon Muchavaka, a retired soldier who is also a headman promised to shoot everyone who supports MDC in the area. He moved around villages together with his cousin Tinos Zvirikure, threatening all MDC supporters with death if they do not renounce to ZANU PF.
In a related incident, ZANU PF ward Chairman on the 5th of July threatened people that their houses will be burnt if they continued to support the MDC. He then instructed one Dangwaza, a villager in Gwanhema village to compile a list of all the people in the area indicating whether one supports ZANU PF or MDC.
Masvingo – Zaka Tense On the 10th of July in Zaka ward 19 at Jerera Growth Point, Clemence Mutasa a member of the Border Gezi who was employed at the Ministry of Youth at Jerera Growth Point went around shops threatening all shop attendants and owners. He instructed every shop attendant at the growth point to always wear ZANU PF t-shirts as they do their day to day work. Mr Mutasa went further to threaten the victims with unspecified action if they fail to wear the t-shirts. This led to many shop attendants rushing to get t- shirts at ZANU PF offices situated at the growth point.
Manicaland-Nyanga Tense In Nyanga, Gande village ward 4 under Chief Katerere, Mr Daniel Gande was assaulted on 3 July by Jeffery Buseti a war veteran who is also a serving soldier in Nyanga. Mr Gande was hit with a brick by Buseti after he found him listening to studio 7. The case was reported to the police and no arrests have been made yet.
Manicaland-Makoni Calm No cases of political violence were reported in the area.
Manicaland-Mutasa Calm No cases of political violence were reported in the area.
Mashonaland Central-Guruve Tense Soldiers were deployed in this area last week and are moving around telling people to vote for ZANU PF. This has left people of Guruve living in fear of political violence.
Mashonaland Central-Guruve Tense In Guruve ward 6 village heads Mr Muzhambe, Mr Kahumwe, Mr Mapira and Mr Chimanikire have since Sunday 7 July been constantly holding meetings with villagers threatening them that they should vote for ZANU PF or risk being evicted out of the villages and their property confiscated.
Mashonaland Central-Shamva South Tense Shadreck Sibanda an aspiring MDC councillor for ward 20 Shamva South in Goche farm had his house and granary burnt to ashes by suspected ZANU PF supporters on the 8th of July. He suspects that the attack came after he received MDC-T party regalia from Leman Twanyiwa another MDC activist in the area.
On the same day, Gerald Muzanenhamo an MDC supporter from ward 20 was attacked by three suspected ZANU PF supporters led by Emmerson Nyabonde a ZANU PF youth chairman. It is believed that he was attacked for refusing to give the group names of MDC supporters in the area. Mr Muzanenhamo sustained injuries on his hands and legs. The case was reported to Shamva police station but nothing has been done yet.
Mashonaland West-Banket Tense A case of intra party violence occurred in Banket. On the 30th of June, Felix Murombedzi was found dead at Mazvikadei Banket after he had gone missing on the 25th of June .He was a member of ZANU PF and it is believed that he was murdered by his party mates because he used to receive party donations and misuse them. The case was reported at Banket police station and no arrests have been made yet.
Mashonaland West-Hurungwe East Tense On the 5th of July, Hurungwe East candidate, Blessing Mandava was arrested and taken to Karoi Central police station after he was seen wearing MDC party regalia. The police also confiscated some of the party regalia he had.
Post published in: News