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Violence erupts in Chipinge South
Platform for Youth Development
October 04, 2011

Political violence has resurfaced in Chipinge South with war veterans and other Zanu PF functionaries assaulting MDC-T youth executive members attending a party meeting at Garahwa Business centre over the weekend.

PYD has it on good record that war veterans and Zanu PF members went to disturb a meeting organised by the Youth Committee of the MDC beating up and harassing locals attending the meeting. This resulted in Nyasha Madhodha and Forget Hlomani being arrested and detained at Chisumbanje Police Station.

The two who are executive members of the youth committee were thoroughly assaulted and were rushed to St Peters Mission Hospital where they were refused medication. The police are said to have followed up on them at the hospital leading to their arrest and detention at Chisumbanje Police station.

The war veterans and Zanu PF thugs led by one Micah Jerera are said to have disturbed a peaceful meeting and this is not the first time such an instance has happened. War veterans have since 2000 been known for taking the law into their hands without actions of the state security.

Platform for Youth Development Trust (PYD) is disturbed by such reports and appeals to state security agents to arrest and charge all perpetrators of violence regardless of political affiliation. The incident has left villagers scared as they have been reawakened to the tragic memories of June 27 2008.

It is shocking that the injured victims were the ones arrested instead of the perpetrators. The two had to spend a night at Chisumbanje police station before they were released. The police behaviour of arresting victims instead of perpetrators is worrying and has been associated with police partisanship.

We are emphasising our call for peace and call upon the merchants of violence to desist from provoking the otherwise calm environment.

Partisan tendencies of the Chisumbanje police forces was also exposed in Member of Parliament for Chipinge South Hon Meki Makhuyana's arrest ahead of the known and identified perpetrators of violence in 2008. Makhuyana had to miss parliament sessions while locked at Mandikise remand prison.

We therefore appeal to the Chisumbanje police officers to be professional in their conduct and ignore unethical instructions. We demand the immediate arrest of Micah Jerera and his Zanu PF thugs for inciting political violence. Jerera's arrest is very critical as it will go a long way in restoring community and national confidence in the police force.

PYD subscribes to an enactment of a law that gives stern punishment to all those who are found guilty of political violence.

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