|
Back to Index
Soldier,
Zanu PF militia disrupt YAT event
Youth Agenda Trust
July 17, 2013
In a move that
has reminded villagers here that a free, fair
and violent free election is still a pipe dream, Zanu-PF youths
in Mvurwi led by a retired soldier on Tuesday disrupted a sports
tournament that was organized by Youth Agenda Trust (YAT) arguing
that the organisation is a front of the imperialist agenda.
The soldier
only identified as Chishaka formerly with the presidential guard
in cahoots with local farmer identified as Nhepera led Zanu-PF youths
in a door to door campaign on Monday warning villagers against attending
the YAT event and threatening them with unspecified action.
The group, which
received logistical support from aspiring Zanu-PF MP Edgar Chidavaenzi,
stormed Pembichase farm located in Ward 26 of Mazoe North Constituency
and ordered youths, some of whom had walked about 10 kilometres
to the venue, to abandon the Play Your Vote sports tournament. The
youths were supported by a group of policeman from the area who
threatened the youths against defying the militia’s orders.
Despite spirited
efforts by the YAT secretariat to negotiate with the marauding militia,
the tournament was stopped after the group became violent and started
pushing and shoving the youths. YAT was only able to address youths
who stay close to the farm. YAT Coordinator for Mashonaland Central
Tonderai Samhu was taken for questioning and threatened with death
if he dared organize a similar event in the constituency. Addressing
youths who had braved the intimidation, YAT coordinator Fortune
Nyamande challenged them to be resilient and turn out in large numbers
and vote for progressive politicians.
He called on
the young people to choose politicians who have sustainable solutions
to their problems such as unemployment, basic education and health
facilities and a government that respect fundamental freedoms as
enshrined in the constitution. On the sidelines of the tournament,
the youths discussed about their right to vote, issues around the
secrecy of their ballots and the provisions of the new electoral
act.
Youths who attended
the meeting received t-shirts courtesy of ZimRights
and the Election
Resource Centre, The Zimbabwean newspapers and newsletters from
the Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights.
YAT maintains
that although Zanu-PF has been telling anyone who cares to listen
that it is ready for elections, it is evident that it wants to conduct
the polls under an intimidating environment and steal the people’s
vote.
Visit the Youth
Agenda Trust fact
sheet
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
