The party’s national youth secretary, Morgan Ncube, confirmed the incident, which took place over the weekend. Godo is now nursing severe injuries. He was burnt with plastic paper and severely beaten up by unidentified Zanu (PF) supporters who accused him of insulting them by wearing MDC-T regalia. Kambuzuma constrituency is an MDC-T stronghold- represented in parliament by Willias Madzimure.
“Similar incidents have taken place lately, showing that the MDC-T is now under siege. The international community had begun warming up to Zanu (PF) but developments taking place right now show that the party has not been sincere in its calls for peace and political tolerance,” said Ncube. Last week, another wave of violence by Zanu (PF) supporters took place in Bulawayo where a number of MDC-T supporters were stripped naked on their way to a rally. Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka and several other MDC-T employees based at the party’s Harvest House headquarters, were attacked by police officers purportedly hunting for abducted human rights activist Itai Dzamara. Tamborinyoka ended up failing to travel with Tsvangirai for a diplomatic offensive mission in the US due to injuries sustained during the brutal attack.
Critics have warned that these developments show that politically-motivated violence, which saw hundreds of MDC-T supporters being attacked by Zanu (PF) supporters and state agents ahead of the 2008 elections, could be resurfacing.