A Report on Post Election Violence
August 07, 2000


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Part 2
Violence against members of opposition by Zanu (PF) supporters

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Opposition supporters flee rural homes
Daily News
28 June, 2000

Opposition supporters continue to flee from their rural homes to urban areas as they are now afraid of being victimised by Zanu (PF) supporters and war veterans for voting for opposition political parties. Shakewell Mabhandi, an election agent for Moses Madakwenda, a candidate for the United Parties in Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe said he had to flee from Uzumba on Saturday as soon as he voted. "I had to flee. What was dangerous was that I was identified as the UP election agent and I had to flee as I was afraid of being victimised by war veterans and Zanu (PF) supporters," said Mabhandi. "Zanu (PF) supporters had been hunting for us for sometime and they had told villagers that if an opposition party wins the election, they will come and kill all known opposition supporters," he said. Mabhandi had earlier fled the constituency in May for Harare where he stayed at Bishop Muzorewa's home in Borrowdale. He returned to Uzumba two weeks before the elections to campaign for Madakwenda. "For two weeks I was on the run from war veterans and Zanu PF supporters and as soon as I got transport from ZimRights which had brought refugees who wanted to vote, I quickly joined them," he said.

Another villager from the same area and a UP supporter, Revai Chidodo, stayed in Gwindingwi mountain in the area, but joined the ZimRights convoy in his escape to Harare. "Financial problems had prevented me from escaping to Harare and I stayed in that mountain from the beginning of May. During the day I would go to the mountain and come back just to check if everything was well at home. I slept in the mountains and my family had to stay with my relatives," said Chidodo.  TOP