“Dhirihori, Masikana and Nhowe areas are MDC and it was clearly provocative for the former ruling party to put known MDC-T activists in its structures. Every influential MDC activist was given a party post by Zanu (PF) in absentia. The idea behind the provocation was to victimise villagers who would boycott future Zanu (PF) meetings. Unfortunately, the recycled and failed strategy will not work as everybody here is staunchly MDC,” said Nelson Ngorima, an MDC activist from the area.
Villagers here told The Zimbabwean that last week Sunday, a handful of Zanu (PF) supporters led by District Party Chairperson, Nobert Hwenjere, desperately struggled to set up structures by appointing leadership without the consent of appointed people.
During the last elections, MDC-T wrestled Wards 19 and 20 from Zanu (PF). In the presidential poll, Morgan Tsvangirai garnered his highest rural vote in the area against President Robert Mugabe.