Politically motivated violence in Zimbabwe 2000-2001
A report on the campaign of political repression conducted by the Zimbabwean Government under the guise of carrying out land reform
August 2001


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Annexes: Case Studies

Section I - Cases of violence in rural areas

The cases in this section are a selection of case reports taken from the files of the Human Rights Forum.

Case 1

It was on 16 July 2000 when I had gone to buy my groceries at a nearby shop. When I stopped ZANU (PF) supporters ordered me out of the car alleging that I was an MDC supporter. When I tried to resist they dragged me out and started assaulting me. They then took me to their base and I left the truck. When we arrived they took off my shoes and the assaults continued. I was taken to the sewage ponds and thrown into them. After that I was taken to the base and ordered to roll in the mud as the poured water on me. I was then releases and told to go back to my home in the rural areas but I could not. I drove for 4 kms before I made a U-turn and went to report at Karoi police station who telephoned ZANU (PF) officials who came to the station. One of the officers went and had a brief conversation with them. After that I was told to go home and if need be I would be contacted. Up till now they have not contacted me. I went back to inquire on the 19th of July but I was told that the docket was with the magistrates court. On the 23rd I went back but to no avail. To date nothing has been done regarding my case.

Case 2

On 15 July 2000 I was at work on the farm. Moses Madzura, a self styled commander of the war veterans camped on Protea Farm, approached me and instructed me summon all the labourers at the base. At 12 noon I reported at the base as instructed. I was assaulted savagely with sjamboks. I was kicked with booted feet and punched with clenched fists. I was being accused of being an active member of the MDC. Further it was alleged that I was in common purpose with the farm owner Alex Van Lever to remove the squatters from the farm. They further forced me into a nearby dam. The matter was reported at Karoi police station but no action has been taken to date. The complainant was given a crime report number and the police alleged that the crime book was unavailable. The complainant did not pursue the issue. The officer who attended to the complainant did not give further details. The complainant identified his assailants as: Revai Chirimo, Fredie Chidemo and Banda who are all from Chipatapata Village.

Case 3

I was working as a special constable at Karuru village. On 22 July 2000 I went to Kupeta Farm with my partner to arrest Taroora Kamunyoma who had stolen some maize from this same farm that they had invaded. When we arrived we were beaten together with our suspect. They alleged that we were MDC supporters and we should not interfere with anyone at their base. Also they said that we should not support white people and instead we should leave anyone who steals from the farms. We were forced to roll in the mud and about 12 buckets of water were poured on us. We were also threatened with death. They threatened to burn down our homes. The police came after our torture but took no action and instead Inspector Mabunda blamed us for interfering with the people at the base. We suffered bruises all over our bodies.

Case 4

It was on 2 August 2000 at around midnight when people came to sing Chimurenga songs at my place. They banged on my door several times but I did not respond. They went away and took my foreman who persuaded me to come out. When I did they started demanding MDC T-shirts and they started beating me. This group of war vets was being led by a man called Yona who is the one who assaulted me with booted feet and a whip. He ordered me to roll in the mud and poured water over me. The torture lasted for about two hours. They left and threatened to come back and kill me. I suffered facial and bodily injuries. I am currently experiencing problems with my teeth, one of which broke during the assault and my right leg is painful even if I walk a very short distance. The gang leader came back threatening me with death several times. I reported the matter at Karoi but Sgt. Sakupwanya attended to me and told me to go back home and that the police would come and attend to me. This was on 4 August 2000. On the 6th the police came and arrested me for assaulting one Stanley who was part of the group but I denied the charge. At one time they came to the farm numbering more than 100 demanding to see me and declared that no activity was going to take place at the farm but the police came to our rescue. I will be going for trial on the 17 October 2000 despite the fact that I was the one who was assaulted.

Case 5

It was at Nyadire College where my uncle stays. On 6 October 2000 I was wearing an MDC T-shirt when I left for Tamuka Business Centre. Four people wearing MDC T-shirts came and ordered me to remove mine and I refused. They accused me of being a traitor. They started assaulting me with booted feet and sticks. I suffered multiple injuries and I pretended to have lost consciousness. They removed my T-shirt and tore it and I fled the area. I went back home and reported the matter at Mutoko Police Station. No arrests have been made so far. I only know my assailants facially but I do not know them by name.

Case 6

I was kidnapped by ZANU (PF) thugs namely Elias Saidi, Joseph Chibanzi and Steven Chiweshe who drove a ford pick-up truck with registration number 526-776H. The vehicle belongs to the ruling party and the thugs were out on bail. I was severely assaulted with boots and fists but was later released. I reported the matter to the police and while I was there, the thugs arrived and started threatening him in front of the police. The police only sent the thugs out of the station but no arrests were made.

Case 7

I am a MDC Secretary in my area. A group of people came to my homestead on 8 May 2000. The group came chanting MDC slogans but my husband and I had had fled into the nearby dark area. They asked for about me from her kids and started assaulting them. They had surrounded the whole village. I crawled for about 500m from the outskirts of my village where she noticed a ball of flames. My house had been torched. I spent the whole night in the village. I lost all the property in the house. I reported the matter at ZRP Chiredzi where I was referred to CID Chiredzi who came to the scene 2 days after because they claimed to have a shortage of fuel. They took statements and went back. The assailants are Chijange, Elastos and Mtemachani who were part of the group. I fled the area 11 May 2000 and came back on the 24 July 2000. The above-mentioned trio came back and only Elastos assaulted me for allegedly belonging to MDC and also for fleeing the area. I went and reported the matter on 29 August 2000. I was assaulted on 28 August 2000. The assailants were arrested but benefitted from the presidential pardon.

Case 8

I am a teacher. I was threatened and assaulted by the headmaster and other assailants. I was forced to resign on 31 December 2000 after conditions had become unbearable and Regional Director had refused to transfer me. When I reported the matter the police it was alleged that I was the assailant and I was detained 43 hours. I was asked to pay $500 as a fine. I reported the matter to the District Education Officer but he refused to attend to the matter. There were allegations that I had committed malicious injury to property on a senior teacher’s house. It turned out that the headmaster had hired thugs to commit the offence.

Newspaper reports

There have been numerous press reports. These are two such reports.

  • · "Self-proclaimed war veterans are allegedly terrorising people suspected to be opposition party supporters in Mutoko, Dotito, Mt Darwin, Mudzi, Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe and Muzarabani. (Mashonaland Central Province). Last week, the war veterans beat up a headman and two villagers in Chindenga village in Chief Charehwa’s area in Mutoko on allegations they were members of the MDC. Villagers who came to the Daily News offices this week said a group of war veterans had established a camp at Kagande Primary School in Mutoko from where they were spreading terror campaigns in the villages, accusing people of supporting the MDC. Several other bases had been set up in the area. Morgan Gwati, the headman of Chindenga village, was allegedly assaulted by some war veterans on Sunday together with Tichafa Zaranyika and Shupikai Dzotizei of the same village. They all sustained injuries. ‘They are moving around the villages from their base at Kandenga and attacking all people suspected of supporting the opposition,’ said one of the villagers. The war veterans were coercing youths to join them in the terror campaign, which has spread to surrounding villages such as Kagande, Dande, Nyaukokova, Kukwenje and Makororo. The war veterans are allegedly forcing the villagers to pay $10 a head to buy food for the former fighters and youths at their bases. The area is part of Mutoko North, one of the 37 constituencies whose results the MDC is challenging in the High Court. The war veterans have spread terror in Mutoko, Dotito and Mount Darwin where some civil servants have fled their jobs after the same allegations of supporting the opposition. Last week, Collins Chakakupa and Bernard Chinkonyora, clerks at the Mudzi district office of the Ministry of Education and Culture fled the district after war veterans ordered them to leave. They are now based at the regional office in Marondera."
    (Source: Daily News 30 March 2001.)
  • · "Mashonaland Central governor Elliot Manyika’s terror campaign has intensified in Bindura with the ruling party setting up bases throughout the constituency in an effort to eliminate opposition before the July 21/22 by-election to fill the post left vacant by the late Border Gezi. Reports reaching the Zimbabwe Independent say ZANU (PF) has set up bases at Kitsiyatota, Chiveso, Murembe, Mupandira, Maizeland Farm, Foothill Farm and Nyawa business centre. These are used as torture centres for captured opposition supporters. The bases also house war veterans and youths who use them as launching pads for raids on opposition supporters. Even the police are not allowed to enter the bases, the reports say. Thirteen people reported missing are believed to have been captured and are being held hostage at the various bases. Speaking to the Independent, some of the victims said the level of violence in Bindura is increasing every day. Visiting shopping areas has become dangerous because one can be attacked at any time. On Thursday last week, war veterans and ZANU (PF) youths attacked Uronga Primary School and severely beat up six teachers including the headmaster, forcing the school to close for three days. On the same day, Tadius Motsi Hongoro (62), an MDC village chairman for Chiveso was attacked by more than 15 youths at his home. ‘They attacked me together with my wife, demanding that we surrender our party cards and T-shirts. They also accused me of possessing arms of war,’ Hongoro said. ‘They beat me under the feet with baton sticks and planks - which had protruding sharp nails - and all over the body until I became unconscious,’ said Hongoro who was in great pain but recovering at Parirenyatwa Hospital. Hongoro said he had deserted his home in fear of his life. ‘My property and livestock have no one to look after them because of Manyika’s terror. But let me assure you that beating me will not change my political stance. People will not accept anyone who beats them, they can only pretend as if they will rally behind you when you are present,’ he said. ‘For your own information, there are no more ZANU (PF) supporters in Bindura. Many have defected but they will not publicly say it for fear of the terror. The only ZANU (PF) supporters left are the squatters on the neighbouring farms,’ Hongoro said. On Sunday an MDC national youth executive member Philip Mabika (26) was attacked at his home soon after arriving from a rally. ‘They came in two twin-cab trucks and attacked me using broken bottles to cut my hands and baton sticks to assault me all over,’ Mabika said, showing his heavily bandaged hands which needed 14 stitches at Chachivile Clinic. ‘They wanted to take me to Kitsiyatota base but I managed to escape, jumping several walls until I get to Chiwaridzo police post. The policeman on duty had to cock his gun to prevent them from overrunning the post to get me," he said. The gangs which are going around terrorising people are reportedly being led by Itai Dick Mafios who is vice-chairman of Pfura Rural District Council, and Jack Salim, a hardened criminal in the area who has 14 pending cases of assault and robbery and is on the police wanted list."
    (Source: Independent 6 July 2001)       TOP