The Unleashing of Violence:
A report on violence in Zimbabwe
update for the week ending May 19, 2000

Contents   «    »

Report on political violence 13- 19 May 2000
This section gives a selection of newspaper reports during the reporting period. Some of the reports relate to incidents prior to 13 May.

Murder, assaults and harassment of opposition members other than MDC
The Secretary General of ZUD, Isaac Manyemba, had received death threats and members of his party have been harassed by Zanu (PF) supporters.

In Murehwa a female was assaulted by Zanu (PF) supporters for being a ZUD organiser and selling the party’s cards and T-shirts and distributing it campaign materials. Her pregnant daughter was assaulted with sticks and fists by Zanu (PF) supporters as they looked for keys to open the wardrobe to search for ZUD materials.

In Mutare Ms P Chikukutu, ZUD parliamentary candidate for Mutare South, lost all her campaign materials to Zanu (PF) supporters. In Gokwe, Collen Nyoni, the ZUD parliamentary candidate for Gokwe Central was intimidated and harassed and her ZUD campaign materials and party cards were confiscated. His mother was threatened with eviction from the area by her headman because her son was supporting a party other than Zanu (PF).In Mbare West ZUD member Spiwe Jera was harassed and intimidated by Zanu (PF) supporters.1

James Chitongo, director of elections in the opposition United Party reported that two of their members had been killed by Zanu (PF) supporters and many others were severely assaulted wounded on the evening of 17 May. This had occurred in the in the northeastern district of Mudzi. The wounded included a local village headman called Mushayi and a child called Nyandoro who were severely beaten and left for dead by Zanu (PF) supporters. It was alleged that incidents of violence were taking place in that area almost every night. Police confirmed Wednesday’s killings and said several people had been arrested in connection with the violence.2

Violence in Mutoko, Murehwa, Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe and Mudzi3
Fifty three villagers, victims of political violence in Mutoko, Murehwa and Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe, have abandoned their homes and fled to Harare. The villagers abandoned their villages after either being attacked or receiving threats of violence from Zanu (PF) supporters and war veterans. Among them are schoolchildren. For the past week, the villagers have been sleeping at Mbare Musika bus terminus and at the Harare Railway Station in sad scenes reminiscent of the situation at the height of war of liberation in the seventies, when thousands lived in plastic shacks at Mbare Musika. Some have been given accommodation by well wishers. Yesterday, the villagers gathered at the ZimRights head office seeking refuge and food. "We spent the night in the bush and when I went to check the following morning, I heard the youths were still looking for me," Chipuriro said. "I sold a cow for $1 000 to get bus fare to come to Harare." The family is now living at the home of United Parties Secretary for Welfare, Emy Ncube.

Simon Chikazi had his right hand in a sling yesterday after he was allegedly assaulted by Zanu PF supporters from Mudzi. Chikazi, the UP parliamentary candidate for Mudzi, said he ran away from home on Thursday last week after being warned that a group of Zanu PF supporters was coming for him. He left his family behind. "I don’t have a permanent place to live and I am fearing for my family. I don’t even know where they are and whether they are still alive," Chikazi said.

Rodwell Chichetu, an office orderly with the Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe council, said he left home on Thursday last week after getting a message that Zanu PF youths were looking for him. "I left at night and slept in the bush. I could not take my family with me and I am concerned about their safety," Chichetu said.

Their granaries have been destroyed and their livelihood is threatened." United Parties, deputy secretary-general, Godwin Mutambirwa said: "We are disturbed by this violence. We are now scared of holding open meetings because our supporters will be targeted. These are the same people who used to feed the comrades during the liberation war. Now their only crime is that they have pointed out Zanu PF’s weaknesses."

Violence against civil servants4
A wave of violence targeting civil servants and MDC) supporters has swept rural Matabeleland in the run-up to the parliamentary elections now set for 24 and 25 June. The deputy national chairman of ZimRights, Clement Moyo, said State security agents, war veterans and Zanu (PF) supporters were allegedly unleashing a reign of terror, especially in Plumtree district. Moyo said numerous people were taken to Plumtree hospital after being attacked in the night. He said one person was abducted after midnight and beaten up before being asked to identify houses of MDC officials. The man’s nightmare, Moyo said, began when 20 men, one donning a police uniform and armed with a pistol forced themselves into his house. After being severely assaulted and threatened with death, Moyo said, the man took the gang to another MDC member’s house. The rest of the group armed with axes and pipes beat up the MDC member and other supporters who were taken to hospital to be treated for injuries sustained during the severe beatings.

Moyo said the same group then proceeded to another area in Tshankwe where they beat up other people and told them to support Zanu (PF). He said there were widespread fears that schools might close because the violence was targeted at teachers. He said teachers were allegedly tortured at nearby Diba Primary School. At least five schools have been closed as a result of the escalating violence against schoolteachers. Zanu (PF) has accused schoolteachers of campaigning against the draft constitution.

"Violence is escalating in rural areas which will make it impossible to have free and fair elections," said Moyo.

In Lupane the Matabeleland North regional chairman for ZimRights, Thokozani Sitsha, said elections monitors were being beaten up and harassed. He said the monitors' training manuals and certificates had been confiscated. Sitsha said the victims were told by CIO operatives that ZimRights would get them killed. "They also threatened them with disappearances, accusing them of inciting people not to go to Zanu (PF) meetings," said Sitsha.  

Political clash in Budiriro – report 15
One person died and 13 others were injured in clashes in Budiriro, Harare, on Tuesday night ignited after MDC youths allegedly started stoning a surgery belonging to Dr Chenjerai Hunzvi. Police had by yesterday arrested 30 people in connection with the violence, which also saw five buildings, including Dr Hunzvi's surgery, damaged following stone and petrol bomb attacks in the suburb.

Riot police have restored order and a heavy police presence was keeping the peace yesterday.

The suspected MDC supporter, who died in hospital yesterday morning, has been identified as Takundwa Chipunza (38) of Budiriro 2.

Police and neighbours who witnessed the clashes described the violence as "terrifying", especially since both parties allegedly chased away the police in order to settle their differences in a violent manner. "Although some youths had come earlier on to stone Cde Hunzvi's surgery, this was the first time that there had been clashes like that." "The youths (MDC) and the war veterans appeared prepared for the fights because they refused to listen to police appeals to stop the violence," said Mrs Mabvuka, who lives near Cde Hunzvi's surgery, where most of the violence occurred.

Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tendai Nembire, said the police were investigating what had caused the clashes. She said both parties were involved, giving contradictory evidence.

Police investigations so far show that, as a result of long-standing differences between the MDC youths and war veterans, the MDC youths had toyi-toyed to Cde Hunzvi's surgery, where they began throwing stones and chanting anti-Zanu (PF) slogans. This allegedly resulted in an orgy of violence which only ended following intervention by the riot police in the early hours of yesterday morning. The situation in the suburb was still tense yesterday, with a heavy police presence in areas where the violence was concentrated.

On 19 May The Herald reported that 17 more people were arrested by the police between Wednesday and Thursday in connection with the violent clash in Budiriro. This brings the total of people arrested to 47.

Political clash in Budiriro – report 26
Rival party supporters clashed in western Harare, leaving one person dead and 18 injured, police said Wednesday. Witnesses said the violence Tuesday night started when about 15 youths attacked Takudzwa Chipunza, who was believed to have been a supporter of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party, police spokeswoman Tendai Nembire said. Chipunza died Wednesday at a Harare hospital from head injuries suffered in the attack. The overnight clashes occurred in the Budiriro township in western Harare. Four of the injured were in serious condition, Nembire said. Thirteen of those injured said they belonged to Zanu (PF).

Some clashes took place outside the office of Chenjerai Hunzvi. Fire bombs were hurled into two homes, gutting them. Opposition supporters smashed the windows of Hunzvi's offices, claiming that veterans had dragged their colleagues into the clinic last week and beaten and tortured them. 

Incidents in Kwekwe7
Two national executive committee members of the MDC had their houses burnt down in Kwekwe on Monday by suspected Zanu (PF) members camped at the party’s Kwekwe district offices and Amaveni guest house. Abraham Mtshena, the MDC chairman for Kwekwe district, said his family was caught sleeping and, when they tried to escape, were badly beaten up. Blessing Chebundo, an MDC national executive member, was alone when the group petrol-bombed his house. He escaped through the back door. The arsonists were believed to be using two white Mazda pick-up trucks, with one bearing the registration number 619-212F. Police in Kwekwe have confirmed the incidents but said no arrests had been made so far.

Several other houses belonging to known MDC supporters had their windows smashed last week, especially in Mbizo and Amaveni high density suburbs. Mtshena said his wife and five children were severely assaulted with slashers and knobkerries when they rushed out of their burning house in Mbizo's Section 5. They were treated at Kwekwe General Hospital and discharged. Mtshena was not at home when the incident occurred. Chebundo's house in Newtown was still smouldering when The Daily News visited the area on Tuesday.

Incident in Chimanimani8
MDC officials in the eastern town of Chimanimani told Reuters that five more MDC supporters had been abducted overnight and could be dead. "Five people have been abducted. We have reports that they have been killed, but we are still trying to confirm that," MDC organizer James Mundenda said by telephone. He said the attack had taken place on a farm owned by Roy Bennett, a white farmer and an MDC parliamentary candidate.

Farm invasions and other reports   TOP