via MDC-T condemns endless attacks on its supporters | SW Radio Africa by Nomalanga Moyo
MDC supporters are facing a campaign of violence and harassment at the hands of ZANU PF activists, in what is being seen as post-election retribution.
On Saturday in Mutoko North, MDC-T losing parliamentary candidate Givemore Chinopfumbuka and four others, were hauled before the area’s headman for allegedly insulting traditional leaders during the run up to the July 31st elections.
Chinopfumbuka told SW Radio Africa correspondent Lionel Saungweme that they have been summoned to appear before Headman Rutsito after a week, to face judgement.
The MDC-T activists fear being banished from the area if found ‘guilty’.
In Mberengwa East, suspected ZANU PF activists are making anonymous phone calls to MDC-T members and threatening them with unspecified action.
According to Saungweme the caller, who claims to be based in Harare, usually tells his victims that he is aware of their MDC-T related activities before threatening to “sort them out”.
“This has been going on for more than a week. A report has been made to the police but so far, there have been no arrests,” Saungweme added.
In Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe, ZANU PF militia reportedly attacked and displaced an MDC-T local council candidate for Ward 5 in the recent elections.
In a statement the MDC-T said Gift Kapawu, his wife and four children have since sought refuge elsewhere.
The MDC-T said: “The ZANU PF militia, who were heavily armed with knobkerries and machetes, accused Kapawu of daring to contest against their candidate in the just ended disputed elections. The thugs went on to destroy Kapawu’s homestead and stole some household goods.
“Kapawu reported the incident to the police at Chitsungo police station, but no action has been taken,” the party said.
Condemning the attack on Kapawu, the MDC-T said it was disturbed that ZANU PF continued with such attacks, even when they claim to be victors in the just ended elections.
“The continued persecution of people of dissenting and divergent views by ZANU PF clearly exposes the level of intolerance entrenched in the party,” the MDC-T said.
Across the border in Musina South Africa, a surge in refugee numbers has been observed since the disputed election result.
Pastor Simon Sithole, a patron at Musina Compassion Refugee Centre, told The Zimbabwean newspaper that the centre was struggling to cope with the influx of refugees who were fleeing political victimisation.
“We need support to manage these escalating numbers because now we have more than 8,000 Zimbabweans at the centre and most of them are sleeping in the open,” Sithole told the paper.
COMMENTS
This is what sadac wanted too .they are capable of experiencing with zimbabwean,let alone the zanu pf leaders,they formed the gnu to enable zanu to regroup and gave mugabe much power whilst they knew he was defeated in the election of 2008.these guys were not here to represent the will of the people of zimbabwe but only zanu pf who are paying them in diamond,sadac u are disgrace in africa shame on you ,your hand are full of blood
SADC should pay attention and react.They have rather rewarded Mugabe for murdering his own people. Those that thought the refugee problem and Xenophobia was bad, wait it has been just the tip of the iceberg.
JRR, unfortunately SADC is a club of rulers whose only concern is to protect one another at the expense of the ordinary people and therefore they are simply going to look the other way as always.
They gave our primitive octogenarian a standing ovation and elected him deputy SADC chairman recently in Malawi. They fell over each other in praise of the electoral thief who had difficulty walking to the podium. Need I say more.
SADC not the problem.We are where we are because the MDC let us down.Stop complaining reform MDC and change will happen.
U guys u know the pple MDC is dealing with. Instead of blaiming MDC we must thank them for standing up for the suffering Zimbabweans. Since independence MDC is the only party capable of raffling Zanu pf furthers
We had very mature political parties like ZAPU PF wena Mr Nesbert Majoni not this MDC-Tea which has no ideology
Kikkk @headless Thabani what is important is ideology and not just change. Change for what from where and why. You just want change. You are political lost then. Go change you imperialist imposed ideas of change
MDC is a failed party easily manipulated by ZanuPF then spat out like garbage.Where are the REAL leaders?