AS the race for the Bikita West by election – due on Saturday – hots up, a group of suspected Zanu PF youths allegedly savagely attacked the opposition National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) candidate Madock Chivasa and his election agent, Thomas Mudzamiri on Tuesday.
Source: Zanu PF youths bash opposition candidate – NewsDay Zimbabwe January 18, 2017
BY TAPIWA ZIVIRA
Chivasa confirmed the assault which he said had been carried out by about 10 Zanu PF youths.
“They were travelling in an unmarked and unregistered Ford Everest (sports utility vehicle) SUV, and as we were about to leave Nyika Growth point, the youths laid an ambush.
“In the full view of the people at the growth point, the youths, who were armed with a gun, started assaulting us, leaving me with a broken arm and Mudzamiri sustained broken ribs,” Chivasa said.
Chivasa said they have since made a report at Bikita Police Station.
Police were not immediately available for comment.
Chivasa is set to face-off against Zanu PF’s Beauty Chabaya, Chivasa, Terence Makumbo of Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe (PDZ), independent candidate Innocent Muzvimbiri and former Bikita West legislator Mr Heya Shoko.
The seat fell vacant following the conviction of former Zanu PF lawmaker Munyaradzi Kereke of raping a minor for which he is serving a 10 year jail sentence.
Meanwhile, Heal Zimbabwe Trust has condemned the violence that has characterised the run up to the election.
“Heal Zimbabwe has recorded 57 human rights violations in Bikita West since 01 November 2016. These include assault, vote buying, partisan distribution of aid, forced attendance to rallies, destruction of campaign material, hate speech, disruption of rallies, and threats issued to voters/candidates,” the peace lobby group said in a statement.
“The organisation condemns in the strongest terms the violations as they compromise the outcome of the by election. An upsurge in cases of human rights violations, also compromise the electoral playing field and casts doubt and uncertainty over the holding of free, fair and peaceful elections in Zimbabwe.”
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) also condemned the unprovoked assault.
“The calculated act of political violence by an organised hit squad wearing the ruling party Zanu-PF regalia is a slap in the face of the constitutional requirement for free, fair and credible elections,” the rights group said.
ZimRights said the brutal assault was carried out by about 13 people wearing Zanu PF regalia at Nyika in the dead of night. A statement by the group identified the car as “belonging to (Zanu PF) Marondera legislator, Lawrence Katsiru.”.
“They hit me with the back of a pistol on the head and I fell down, breaking my arm. The assailants clearly asked me who I thought I was to oppose Zanu PF. I am on my way to Silveira Hospital to get treatment.
“We reported the matter at Nyika Growth Point last night, but there was a single police officer who said he could not handle political cases and only promised to inform his superior who was absent from the station. We have since notified a person only identified as Mashavave who is a senior ZEC official in Bikita,” ZimRights quoted Chivasa as having said.
Gun shots were also reportedly fired in the ensuing melee.
Opposition parties have for years accused Zanu PF of using foul means to win election and the upsurge in violence ahead of the snap poll will not surprise observers amid calls for a level playing field ahead of a general election set for next year.
COMMENTS
It’s high time progressive Zimboz came up with progressive. creative & practical ideas on how to tackle ZANU PF violence. Playing cry-babies only encourages ZANU PF hoodlums to continue with their wayward behavior. Surely, if ZANU PF is a minority as we all know it to be, why then do we continue to sink so low as to allow a tiny minority to have the luxury to physically assault, maim & even murder willy-nilly; yet we are clearly on the majority? Isn’t there something dead wrong with us here?
My own creative, practical & progressive approach is: Let us adopt this simple principle “Makudo ndimamwe kufa kwerimwe ose anochema; & gudo harina rupahoo semombe”. Simply put, if we are attacked by any ZANU PF baboon(s) lets not even worry about identifying the specific baboon per se, of course if we can identify the exact one that’s okay but only for future justice when we get into a free & democratic Zim which we don’t have now. For the present, let’s consider the ZANU PF baboons in whatever colour and creed as one & exactly same. Let’s then efficiently & effectively show them that we are sick & tired of their provocative antics by confronting them head-on, but strategically of course. For instance, any single attack on us must be followed by as many as possible attacks on any known ZANU PF baboons who live among us. The attacks taking any form (kana kudira paraffin kupisa zirimwa nedzimba dzavo – yes, yave Hondo ka iyi; and let’s make it clear why we will be doing it. If we are avenging Itai’s death let it be known, if it is Chivasa’s broken arm, etc, again let it be known. Once ZANU PF feels the pinch they will surely put a leash on their dogs. This is the only way out compatriots. We all know our police cannot act against ZANU PF against ZANU PF, we simply have to protect ourself. Even if police act, the judiciary which is also largely staffed by ZANU PF functionaries will not play ball as expected. So, tsvaru akadana tivuu is the only way to go.
Mapingu, my own opinion (i am not saying I am right) is that what you propose is exactly what Zanu PF is looking for. They want to provoke violence so that they can declare a state of emergency, arrest all the opposition leaders and postpone the elections indefinitely. I think we need to engage more in scare tactics than actual violence. Politics is a game of numbers so if the opposition is in the majority why not congregate at any hot spot in large and intimidating numbers without actually doing any damage – some form of passive resistence. In the reported case, if all the people at Nyika had started marching towards the scene I am sure the thugs would have fled for their lives. Remember these are the same cowards who ran away from mere Mapostori in Budiriro!!! The strategy should be to repeat this approach all over the country at every opportunity. All we need really is to overcome our fear. Yes there will be some causalities along the way but is it not better to lose 10 in a 1000 once and for all than to lose 100 in a 1000 picked off one by one as is happening now? Sure none of us wants to be the unfortunate 10 but let’s spare a thought for the 100 brave ones who disappear everyday. Let’s think too of the 20, 000 innocent souls in the 80s and the many 1000s in between, the tortured, the maimed, the banised. Surely, it’s high time for all of us to play a part without being all Zanu PF. There is another way.
A state of emergency, for how long?