Zanu activates terror machinery

The revival of the Zanu (PF) violence structure is chronicled in a

21-page report published by the MDC-T last week which listed at least

50 incidents of violence and intimidation perpetrated by war veterans,

police officers, soldiers, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO)

operatives, chiefs and youth militias during the past three months.

According to the report Zanu (PF) has reactivated militia training camps in some parts of the country. Zanu (PF) youths are known for using such traning camps as torture basis where perceived opponents of President Robert Mugabe and his party are assaulted, raped, tortured or even murdered.

Zanu PF has established youth militia training camps at five schools in Maramba Pfungwe in Mashonaland East province, disrupting normal learning at the schools ahead of the Constitution-making process, the report said.

The bases are at Museka primary school in Ward 3, Potsikayi primary school, Ward 2, Dindi primary school, Ward 4 Chipokoteke primary school, Ward 4 and

Mungari primary school, Ward 4, it added.

Zanu (PF) spokesman Rugare Gumbo could not be reached for comment on the MDC report.

But he former sole ruling party has in the past denied its supporters and allies in the military and war veterans commit violence and human rights abuses against its opponents.

The MDC report said that war veterans were again taking a leading role in the terror

campaign, with their 39-year-old leader Jabulani Sibanda said to be

targeting villagers in Masvingo province which Zanu (PF) lost to the

MDC-T during parliamentary elections held in March 2008.

(Xhead) Burning houses

Sibanda — whose date of birth is listed on the list of persons subject to Western targeted sanctions against senior Zanu (PF) officials as 31 December 1970 which would make him too young to have fought in the liberation war — is accused of engaging in at least five terror cases since the end of June.

In one of the incidents, the war veterans leader incited Zanu (PF) supporters to burn down the house of MDC-T Bikita West youth chairperson David Hollman in August.

No arrests have been made for the arson attack on Hollmans house.

Sibanda allegedly warned MDC-T supporters during a rally in the area

that war veterans would repeat what they did in June 2008 when more

than 200 former opposition members were murdered and thousands others

were displaced.

The former liberation fighters unleashed an orgy of violence after Mugabe lost the first round of the presidential elections in March to MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai who is now Prime Minister in a coalition government formed

last year was forced to withdraw from the run-off poll on 27 June

2008, leaving Mugabe to run alone.

Chief Chitanga of Mwenezi in Masvingo province has also allegedly

destroyed a 400-hectare winter maize crop at Makume Ranch, accusing

the owners of being staunch MDC-T supporters.

The crop was destroyed after Chief Chitanga, who is also a Senator,

drove cattle into the fields claiming that the 49 owners of the maize

crop were Tsvangirais supporters.

The chiefs actions have left the local community in shock as the

maize crop, which was reaching maturity stage was boosting the

countrys food security. The chief was assisted by his aides and

police special constabularies in destroying the maize crop, the MDC

said.

(Xhead) AK47 rifle

Soldiers have also taken a lead in the harassment of perceived Mugabe

opponents, often threatening villagers with death for not supporting

Zanu (PF).

The MDC-T cited an incident in which two serving members of the

Zimbabwe National Army a Colonel Hungwe and Major Neshuro of Ngundu

Halt threatened villagers in Chingamhi Ward 5 in Mwenezi with death

if they did not support the Kariba draft during the just-ended

Constitution-making process.

Hungwe was allegedly armed with an AK47 rifle when he addressed the

meeting, which was also attended by Justice Sithole, the Zanu (PF)

chairperson of Mwenezi District Coordinating Committee.

Similar cases of violence are cited in another report on the

constitution outreach programme jointly published last week by the

Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Zimbabwe Peace Project and Zimbabwe

Lawyers for Human Rights.

The three organisations, operating under the banner of the Independent

Constitution Monitoring Project (ZZZICOMP), said a total of 307

outreach violations were recorded in Harare alone between June and

last month.

These included 78 cases of coaching, 77 of political interference, 72

of harassment and eight of violence.

While constitution outreach consultations in Bulawayo went ahead as

planned under relatively peaceful and inclusive circumstances though

with a few isolated chaotic incidents, those in Harare had to be

abandoned midstream as deep-seated inter-party violence reared its

disgusting face, ZZZICOMP said.

Although constitutional outreach consultations in Harare were

scheduled for three days running from 18 September to 20 September

with 84 meetings lined up, ZZZICOMP noted that experiences from day

one cast a caricature, a farce and indeed, a trivialization of the

essence of constitution making processes.

It was in essence, a telling case of unbridled inter-party

intolerance and a chilling reminder to the nation-that the forces of

darkness that stalked the run up to the 2008 June run off are still

intact and raring to roll out at the slightest provocation, the group

warned.

One MDC-T activist died from injuries sustained during the Harare skirmishes.

(Xhead) CIO spies

Zanu (PF) has been accused of deploying CIO spies to speak on behalf

of ordinary participants in rural Zimbabwe during the outreach

meetings.

Mugabes party is pushing for the adoption of a draft constitution

agreed by negotiators from the three main political parties in the

resort town of Kariba in September 2007.

Zanu (PF) and the two MDC formations secretly authored the Kariba

draft in 2007 but critics say the document should be discarded because

it leaves untouched the immense presidential powers that analysts say

Mugabe has used to stifle opposition to his rule for the past three

decades.

The coalition government is expected to call fresh elections after

enactment of a new constitution although the administration can choose

to wait until expiry of its term in 2013 to call elections.

Zimbabweans hope a new constitution will strengthen the role of

Parliament and curtail the president’s powers, as well as guarantee

basic civil, political and media freedoms.