Mashonaland Central
The Springboard for the Violence
Political violence began early in Mashonaland Central. It is a region which Zanu (PF) has traditionally claimed as a stronghold and where the party has long insisted that the opposition cannot build support. Indeed, in the constitutional referendum of 12-13 February this year, the province returned a 75% "yes" vote. This was the highest percentage victory in any province for the Zanu (PF) sponsored Constitutional Commission (CC) in a vote largely seen as a test of support for the ruling party.

Despite the referendum result, anecdotal reports suggest that support for the MDC has been growing steadily both before and after the referendum. Locals have attended MDC rallies in their hundreds and the province’s urban centre, Bindura, voted "no" in common with most towns nationwide. According to the MDC candidate for Bindura, violence began even before the referendum, with an attack by Zanu (PF) supporters in Manhenga, Bindura Rural. He said MDC members were attacked and then retaliated, and the incident ended with arrests of MDC supporters, 11 of whom are still on remand. He claims that MDC became a target in the area soon after the party was set up. This belief is supported by the experience of a white farmer from Bindura who says he was detained by Zanu (PF) at their office in November. "Magore who is at Chipadze district office admitted to me then that he was paid by CIO to sort out MDC in our area".

At least five people are confirmed to have been killed in Mashonaland Central in political violence, four of them members of the MDC and one a Zanu (PF) supporter who was shot by police while attacking Mvurwi police station. Unconfirmed reports suggest that there may have been as many as eight deaths. For instance, a recent report by an NGO programme officer was that a resident of Murove village in Muzarabani whom he knew well was killed in late April or early May by "Zanu PF torture and beatings". His arms and legs were each "broken into three pieces". This report has not been publicised and will be investigated further.

The number of schools which have reported instances of violence or intimidation highlights its broad sweep. Teachers have been beaten and lessons disrupted at Centenary Secondary School, Chikwirandaombera Primary School, Chikwidibe Primary School, Binga Rural Secondary School, Bindura Primary School, Chipindura High School and Chinhamora Primary and Secondary Schools. Teaching staff have also been targeted at Chifombo Primary School, Chipangura Secondary School, Chidewu Primary School, Chitsungo Mission, Gakwe Primary School and Chimanikire Primary School.

Farmers and farm workers have been severely affected in this region, as updates from the CFU indicate. In one case reported to the Forum, a farm supervisor from Mazowe East described how he was beaten from behind by the youths occupying the farm on 2 May; the same day another employee of the farm was cut on the hand by a building contractor called Gift. This was not the first such incident; there were a number of beatings on 18 May. There have been no arrests made but persistent threats continue to both the workers and the farmer. Chitate, the leader of the occupiers, has warned the farmer that he should not "set foot on his farm without the permission of the governor" (this refers to Border Gezi, the provincial governor). Chitate has also threatened that the farmer will be killed as: "we are in need of showing off a dead farmer in the Mashonaland Central area".

Another farmer told the Forum how he was forced to hold a pungwe on 3 May. He said Richard Chando, the Zanu (PF) vice provincial youth chairman, and Masimba Maguti, a war veteran and Zanu (PF) chairman, arrived in the morning with labourers from surrounding farms. They demanded that food and water be provided for the people who would attend the pungwe that night. He described the invaders.

There were plus or minus 50 Zanu (PF) youth and women bearing whips, sticks and the like, in charge of the farm labourers, each farm was assembled into lines and drilled militia style and instructed to sing and chant as they entered the garden.

The farmer said his was the seventh farm in the area to be forced to hold a pungwe and that farm workers on his and neighbouring farms "are just getting hammered". In one example, 51 labourers were beaten. They managed to make a police report and to get medical treatment, but, he said, "the war veterans are now demanding that they withdraw all the evidence and outpatient’s cards".

At a farm in Mvurwi, the owner was faced with constant demands for food, drink, fuel and transport from war veterans, again led by Maguti. As soon as the invaders arrived in the morning on 5 May, the Zanu (PF) youth were sent to hunt down MDC supporters. Six employees were beaten and one had his hand broken. Youths and war veterans were brought to take up residence on the farm. On 16 May, seven women were beaten and "sexual favours" were demanded. Richard Chando came and took away two of the youths responsible. On 31 May, the farmer was threatened with death if he did not feed the resident invaders.

In early June Zanu (PF) supporters were reported to have attacked and injured a number of farm workers. A political rally was being held which was to be addressed by the candidate for Mazowe East Constituency, Chen Chimutengwende. When a roll call was taken too few workers from a nearby farm were found to be present. About 60 Zanu (PF) youths then went to the farm and started beating up people and asking them why they were not at the rally. One woman said that she had her baby with her when she was attacked, and that both she and her little son were beaten. Eight of these workers had to be taken to Concession hospital for treatment.

There is known to be widespread political violence in every single district of Mashonaland Central, with door-to-door campaigns of intimidation and regular beatings of any opposition suspects by Zanu (PF) militias. Some districts are safer than others. Opposition supporters living in Bindura town feel generally secure; in Mount Darwin, however, they have been under constant threat. A Forum monitor described how upon arrival in Mount Darwin in the first week of June his bus was surrounded by Zanu (PF) supporters demanding to be told the political affiliations of those who were disembarking.

One NGO reported that its programmes in this area have had to be suspended due to the tense environment. When its programme officer was near Mount Darwin on 1 June, he saw a man he later learned was a leader of the local Zanu (PF) youths checking his number plate in a book. Later he was warned by a friend not to go to the centre as the youths were waiting there and that the organisation’s vehicle registration numbers are on the youths’ "wanted list." These incidents give some insight into the extent to which all outsiders are under close surveillance. For many local residents their daily existence has become one of fear.

According to a letter in the Financial Gazette, a number of residents of Pfura Location in Mount Darwin were reported to have been beaten on 20 April by Zanu (PF) supporters moving around in gangs of "about 50 seeking out MDC supporters". In another incident, the MDC provincial organising secretary in the Chesa Farm area reported to the party headquarters that on 25 April around 6:00 pm his farm houses were all burnt to ashes with petrol, workers and MDC members were beaten with iron bars.