No Respite in Political Violence

Victim of Zanu PF violence in run up to 27 June Presidential electoralrunoff fiasco

BY CAIPHAS CHIMHETE
The ZimbabweStandard

VICTIMS of the unrelenting political violence in remote parts of the country are increasingly becoming desperate with many considering relocating to neighbouring countries, investigations revealed last week.

Some still sleep in the bush for fear of arson attacks while others are contemplating moving to safer areas.

The victims, mostly supporters of the mainstream Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations, accuse the police of turning a blind eye as Zanu PF militia and war veterans continue to terrorise them.They feel let down by the government of national unity (GNU), saying it is a marriage of convenience between President Robert Mugabe and the two MDC leaders — Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister, Professor Arthur Mutambara.

The violence and intimidation is reportedly prevalent in remote parts of Mashonaland, which was once considered Mugabe’s undisputed stronghold.

Scores of MDC supporters in Muzarabani said they were contemplating moving to Mozambique in order to flee political victimisation by Zanu PF militia and war veterans who were spurning the hand of reconciliation.

Victims who spoke to The Standard last week said they had been left with no choice but to relocate to neighbouring Mozambique.

Many have already made contacts with their friends, relatives and traditional chiefs across the border, who they said had shown sympathy and willingness to accommodate them.

Wellington Gweru, who was the MDC-T candidate for Ward 18 in Muzarabani during last year’s harmonised elections, is one such forlorn victim.

“I have seen many of my friends dying,” Gweru said. “I can’t wait to be the next victim. The police and traditional leaders here appear to be powerless.”

Suspected Zanu PF militia, war veterans and state security agents reportedly murdered over 200 MDC supporters in the most violent campaign since the country’s Independence in 1980.

Over 200 000 others were internally displaced.

Earlier this month, Zanu PF officials confiscated agricultural implements that MDC supporters received under the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)’s mechanisation programme claiming the recipients belonged to the “wrong” party.

Implements they seized included ox-drawn ploughs, knapsack sprayers, cultivators, scotch carts as well as fertiliser and seeds.

The aggressors are reportedly threatening to burn down all houses belonging to MDC supporters that had been rebuilt after they were torched last year.

“What they want is for us to flee the area so that we will not reclaim the implements and our livestock they are looting,” Gweru said.

Gweru accused Zanu PF district party chairman Avozhi Chibhedebhede and councillor Godfrey Katsiru - who were also named as aggressors during last year’s elections - of spearheading the current wave of violence and intimidation in Muzarabani.

Neither Chibhedebhede nor Katsiru were immediately contactable to comment on the allegations.

In Mutoko in Mashonaland East Zanu PF militias are still refusing to extend the hand of reconciliation, tolerance and co-existence after years of political violence.

MDC supporters in Mutoko said they were being threatened for demanding back property confiscated by war veterans and Zanu PF supporters.

During last year’s election MDC supporters were ordered to surrender their livestock and other possessions to traditional chiefs and Zanu PF militia as punishment for supporting an opposition party.

“Life in Mutoko has become as nightmarish as it was it June 2008,” said one MDC supporter, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution.

The police, he said, appear to be still getting instructions from the local Zanu PF leadership.

Out of desperation MDC supporters have also started retaliating.

Several MDC activists were arrested recently after they allegedly burnt down homes of Zanu PF supporters in retaliation.

Zanu PF was quick in assisting those whose homes were burnt. They were given packs of food, blankets and other household goods.

In another act of violence, thousands of rural teachers were at the beginning of the school term chased away from their schools by war veterans who accused them of supporting the MDC.

Political analysts attribute the continued violence to ideological hardliners in Zanu PF who are determined to stop the “dilution of the revolution” through the unity government.

“There are those who are totally against the GNU and are doing everything they can to discredit it,” said University of Zimbabwe political analyst Eldred Masunungure.

“It’s residual resistance. It’s like telling a drug addict to stop taking drugs. It won’t be instant.”
Masunungure also believes the message of peaceful co-existence has not reached some remote parts of the country.

“The message has not percolated into the periphery of the country,” he said. “It takes time to get there and be accepted as an authentic message from their leaders.”

It is feared that the message by Zanu PF to its supporters that they should prepare for the next election could stoke violence.

Masunungure said politicians should preach the message of national healing before talking about elections.

Commenting on the resurgence of political violence the co-Minister of Home Affairs Giles Mutsekwa warned that perpetrators risked being arrested regardless of their political affiliation.

“I know for sure that there are still some pockets of violence being perpetrated by either side of the divide, but I want to assure you that the offenders will be arrested regardless of political affiliation,” said Mutsekwa, who co-chairs the ministry with Kembo Mohadi. of Zanu PF.