The ZIMBABWE Situation | Our
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3
August 2005
Mangwe MP Edward Mkhosi attacked by ZANU PF
supporters.
Hon. Edward Mkhosi, the MDC MP for Mangwe was attacked on Sunday 31 July 2005 in Bubi district where he had gone to buy maize to feed people in his constituency. He was accompanied by the MDC Bulawayo Province Organizing Secretary Abednico Moyo.
The two went to the home of Macdonald Sibanda who is the MDC candidate for the council by-election in Goodwood, ward 20, Village 13, scheduled for the 13th of August 2005. They arrived at around 1300 hours.
A group of about 12 Zanu Pf supporters invaded Sibanda’s home and demanded to know what the two MDC officials were doing in the Zanu Pf territory. When they were informed that the two wanted to buy maize, the ZANU PF group threatened to deal with the MDC officials for daring to come into their territory. More Zanu Pf supporters continued to descend on Sibanda’s home until they were around 200 and they surrounded the home.
They smashed the back window of Hon Mkhosi’s truck and also assaulted him together with his colleagues. They detained the three until the following day at around 1600 hours when the police arrived. Fortunately, Sibanda had managed to sneak away in the middle of the night and went to report the matter to the police who only arrived some 27 hours after the attack had begun. The local headman had also made an effort to report the matter to the police but they took their time in responding. Four ZANU PF supporters were later arrested.
The Zanu Pf group had the audacity to cook their meals in Sibanda’s home using logs pulled from his kraal. They also pulled down his house. A six month old baby who had been sleeping in the house was served by Sibanda who managed to get her out before the house collapsed. The group proceeded to burn three blankets which Hon. Mkhosi had been using.
The three MDC officials sustained injuries and are receiving treatment.
Today at dawn, Sibanda was awoken by a group of Zanu PF youths who were singing ant-MDC songs as they were passing his home. They threatened to assault him for getting their colleagues arrested.
The MDC is not perturbed by this behaviour from ZANUPF. It is typical ZANU PF strategy to resort to intimidation and violence each time they are faced with election defeat. Indeed they are starring defeat in the face come 13 August 2005.
Paul Themba Nyathi
Secretary for Information and
Publicity
MEDIA ADVISORY: FORTHCOMING MEDIA PROGRAMMES ON ZIMBABWE
DATE: 3 AUGUST
2005
DATE |
TIME |
PROGRAMME/PUBLICATION |
CONTACT
PERSON |
PHONE
NUMBER |
THEME/COMMENTS |
Thursday
August 4 |
11h30
– 12h00 |
Sky
News |
|
|
Interview
with Heather and Roy Bennett |
Sunday
August 7 |
8pm |
SABC
TV2 The
Big Question |
Bulelwa
Mtsali or Sasha
Wales-Smith |
(011)
482 6545 (011)
482 6544 |
“Is
our government’s policy towards Zimbabwe
Moral?” |