Who is responsible?
A preliminary analysis of pre-election violence
in Zimbabwe
June 20, 2000

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Mashonaland Central
Zanu (PF) Leaders Launch the Violence

Chris Kurenere: Zanu (PF) Candidate for Mazowe West
Wandai, an MDC official from Henderson’s Research Station, was approached by Chris Kurenere in April at a beer hall. According to him, Kurenere said: "What you are doing is not good for me and if you want your life you should stop it". He then gave permission to the war veterans who were with him to "perform their operations". Before leaving he handed his pistol to one of them, George Takawira, who identified himself as a serving member of the ZNA. Takawira warned:

We have killed so many people so we are not afraid of killing you. We are allowed by the law to kill anyone and we are not supposed to kill chickens.

Wandai fled the area but the same group returned to his house, driven there by Kurenere to look for him on 1 May. When they did not find him they assaulted his uncle and two aunts and a 15-year-old girl who were at his house. They put up Kurenere’s posters in the house and took property belonging to the family. Then, in early, June Kurenere held a rally at Henderson’s grounds which some local people were forced to attend. He made Wandai’s mother and uncle stand up and demanded to know Wandai’s whereabouts. He then publicly insulted Wandai’s mother saying she was "not suitable to live on this earth because she had given birth to [Wandai who was] working with bad people of the MDC."  TOP