A Report on Post Election Violence
August 07, 2000

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Man, home torched
Daily News
27 July, 2000

Suspected Zanu (PF) supporters and war veterans set alight Luke Mutarakangana’s house at Gurupira village in Mudzi on Tuesday night. He was asleep and he sustained burns on his face, at the back of his head and on his hands as he escaped from the fire. Mutarakangana, 27, with bandaged arms and scarred face, yesterday said he returned to his home from Harare on Sunday. He had earlier fled from his home after the election last month, fearing harassment from the war veterans for supporting the MDC. He said he left his wife at home, but when he returned on Sunday he discovered that she too had fled the harassment by the war veterans. Mutarakangana said he had remained indoors until Tuesday when he ventured out to Gurupira Business Centre. He said he met a friend, whose name he refused to disclose, at the business centre. The friend had warned him that war veterans, led by a man known only as Rwodzi, were still assaulting people and that it was not safe for him to move around. Mutarakangana said he had not taken the warning seriously. He saw one of the war veterans at the business centre that day. He said he woke up at about 9 pm that night only to realise that his blankets and the thatched roof of his hut were ablaze. "Burning grass was falling all over me," said Mutarakangana, showing black spots of soot on his clothes. He said he heard noises from people outside, whom he suspected to be Zanu (PF) supporters and war veterans.    TOP