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


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Bases
It must be stressed that the information about alleged bases derives from secondary sources. However, in some instances a number of people have made identical or similar allegations about particular bases and the identity of ruling party officials allegedly involved. Additionally, monitors have independently confirmed some these allegations.

Mashonaland East
Mutoko Country Club
This club belongs to Mutoko Rural District Council. The Community Hall is in the Country Club, and men and women are known to be staying there permanently. People are being taken to the hall and tortured. Following the beatings, some are being offered the choice to stay and join the militia or to return home, where they are likely to be subject to further violence. The militia have been observed being drilled outside like soldiers, but seemingly using wood fashioned to look like guns. One victim who was taken to the hall counted 75 people staying there, with the males sleeping in the hall and females sleeping in a room. Their commander is said to be named Hodzi.

The Country Club is usually used as a polling station. The council chairman, Odour Nyakudanga is also a Zanu (PF) central committee member and he is said to have given the Zanu (PF) youths and war veterans based there council vehicles to move around in.

Mutoko South
Corner store township, there are war veterans and youths staying in a white thatched building belonging to a farmer named Brown. This building is usually used as the polling office during elections. Olivia Muchena, the local MP is said to be transporting the militia in a green Cherokee jeep. Locals said to be involved in the violence are Makombe, Kavumbura and Chimhini from Village 3,

Mutoko
Nyadire Mission Farm. There are about 30-45 non-locals staying there. People have to pass the Mission on their way to vote. Uzumba council lorries are being used to transport people.

Murehwa South
Zanu (PF) supporters have made a camp at Musami, St Paul’s Mission. The MP, B Matiza, is the one who is feeding them and the office is manned by his agent Jonas. They have also made a camp at Shavaname restaurant. Ncube is the leader of those at the growth point. He is the commander there, an ex-combatant, Ndebele.

Murehwa North
About 20-30 youths are said to be stationed at Mukurazhizha, at the Muparadzi grinding mill where they are holding pungwes at night. The mill is owned by a Zanu (PF) member, Muparadzi, and is also said to be regularly visited by the local Zanu (PF) MP, Mr Chitongo.

Murehwa
The ZexCom office is being used as a base. This is one of the most notorious gangs of militia, said to be responsible for at least one murder, that of farmer David Stevens. The building is about 200 metres from a polling station.

A witness reported that local youths were being intimidated or coerced into going to the farms and to the ZexCom office. He said the war veterans on Steven’s Arizona Farm in Macheke were also operating out of the office and that they rotate according to a "duty roster". He said it was clear that they were being paid for their activities: "When Mike Mujuru [a war vet occupying Steven’s farm] once beat the MDC chairman in Murehwa and left him for dead, he was rewarded and got a new bicycle."

The man supplying food and drink and supporting those at the ZexCom office financially is said to be Makunde, who is is his 60s and owns the "hot pot" a food outlet at the shopping centre. His son is an ex-combatant and a former MP. Describing the routine for those who are taken inside the office one local resident said "you are told the 10 rules of "why not to vote MDC", this is part of the ‘reeducation’; you are beaten by the youths and you are given to the women’s league and made to chant slogans."

Fault Farm in Marimatombo is also reported to be a base, under the command of a man named Garwe.

Wedza
People in the town are said to be housing Zanu (PF) supporters who are not local. Zanu (PF) district officials, Mr Chikure and Mr Mungure, are accused of involvement.

Chikomba
Zanu (PF) supporters are said to be booking rooms at Sadza beer hall or at Tatenda rest. There are said to be war veterans from Harare and from Plumtree, there. Some are Ndebele. They hold political meetings at the Sadza Hall, where people are forced to renounce their MDC membership. Mr Katandita, who people call "Squares" and the local Zanu (PF) chairman are said to be involved.

Goromonzi
Farmworkers from Zhanda Farm are reported to be carrying out attacks. The farm belongs to Paddington Zhanda, the Zanu (PF) provincial chairman, and it is said his vehicles which are being used for attacks.

Marondera
Zanu (PF) youths are reported to be stationed at Nehanda Hall in the town centre and to be led by a CIO agent called Bvukumbwe and Zanu (PF) officials called Doubt Kamoti and Peter Makombe.

Uzumba Maraba Pfungwe
Zanu (PF) youths are said to be meeting at the community hall in Nakiwa for transport and payment. Some are locals, others are being brought in from outside the area, under the command of Japhet Musakwa.   TOP