Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Briefing Paper #2 - Witness Intimidation
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
February 22, 2002

From The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum Political Violence Reports

February 2001

Chiredzi

• K.M., aged 32, an assistant welder and MDC organizing secretary, was assaulted on 22 February 2001. He was assaulted with whips by a group of ZANU (PF) youths led by war veteran, Boniface Mutemachani. He received serious injuries and bruises all over his body. His assailants accused him of being "a key witness against their party". He was further attacked with a pick handle on his left shin. K.M. identified one assailant, Farai Kahlamba, as the instigator of the assault. K.M. was left for dead, and could not walk to find help. He suffered a severe bone fracture, and received treatment at Dr. Mungwazi’s surgery. The matter was reported to the police but no arrests have been made in the matter.

Buhera North

• In Murambinda, E.G. received death threats from his former employer, Kainos ‘Kasiyatota’ Zimunya. Zimunya was the election agent of Kenneth Manyonda, the ZANU (PF) candidate. E.G. was told that if he divulged information to anyone regarding Kainos Zimunya’s role in the murder of Tichaona Chiminya and Talent Mabika, both MDC campaign officials, he would be killed. Recently, Zimunya was subpoenaed to testify in the election petition, but failed to appear before the High Court.

Hurungwe [Karoi]

• N.M., aged 23, who had been previously assaulted during the run-up to the June 2000 parliamentary elections by a group of ZANU (PF) supporters, was again attacked by ZANU (PF) supporters on 16 February 2001. He was able to identify some of his attackers as: Rex Jesus, Richman, Doubt Nyika, Kenneth Ngwazi, Innocent Dwani, and Shame Karichi. He suffered injuries all over his body.

• D.P. aged 29 was assaulted on 16 February 2001. Upon returning home after giving testimony before the High Court, a group of ZANU (PF) supporters threatened him with violence, but were restrained by their leaders. They tried to break into his home at midnight. They threatened him, sang song and shouted.

• T.T. aged 30, was forced to flee Hurungwe before the elections because of threats. When he returned from testifying before the High Court on 19 February 2001, ZANU (PF) members confronted him in a local hotel and threatened him with death. They threatened to burn down his house, whilst singing slogans and songs. He managed to escape. He reported the matter to the ZRP in Karoi. However, the ZRP told him that no action would be taken because it was a "political case." He no longer lives at home, because of fear of victimization. This matter is being followed up by the HRLU.

• P.C., aged 38, was chased by ZANU (PF) supporters on 15 February 2001 for his allegiance to the MDC, after testifying before the High Court in the election challenges. He reported the matter to the ZRP in Karoi on 17 February 2001. This matter is being followed up by the HRLU.

• D.C., aged 31, was harassed and intimidated by ZANU (PF) supporters on his return home from the Harare High Court on 22 February 2001.

Chinhoyi

• Members of the CIO threatened N.M. and P.K., both election agents for Silas Matamisa, the MDC candidate for Chinhoyi, with death. After they had written affidavits supporting Matamisa, they were assaulted and received death threats from CIO agents. N.M. subsequently wrote an affidavit supporting Chiyangwa, the ZANU (PF) MP for Chinhoyi, as a result of the threats (Daily News 15 February 2001).

March 2001

Hurungwe (Karoi)

• On 9 March S.P. (aged 23) was assaulted with knobkerries, booted feet, and clenched fists at the Karoi terminus by a group of about 15 ZANU (PF) youth and war veterans. They accused him of distributing MDC material and encouraging others to testify at the High Court in the election challenges. They also harassed him and stated that they were not afraid of the police and that he should leave Karoi. He suffered multiple injuries on his sides and his head. He received no medical treatment from the hospital because he left his hospital cards at home. He fled his home due to fear of continuous intimidation and victimisation.

Kariba

• Mr. Luka Sigabole, the MDC candidate for Kariba constituency, received several death threats over the phone directed at him and his family. These threats have resulted in the withdrawal of his electoral petition.

Makoni West (Rusape)

• R.C., (female aged 41) an MDC Chair, is the MDC information and publicity secretary for Makoni West district. She was assaulted with sticks and knobkerries in Nyakonda by supporters of ZANU (PF). They were allegedly sent by Mhiripiri who was based in Rusape. One assailant could be identified as Munyaradzi. She suffered multiple injuries on left eye, chin, left wrist, left lower leg and right ankle. She still experiences severe headaches because of the beatings. On 18 March a group of ZANU (PF) supporters came to her house from Sabhuku Tandi and ordered her to tell them the names of the witnesses in the election petition cases. She refused and was then tripped, causing the dislocation of her right ankle. She fled to Harare immediately. She did not report the matter to the ZRP because she felt that they would not take any action.

• F.M., (female aged 58), former MDC secretary of Makoni West was also assaulted with sticks and knobkerries by a group of ZANU (PF) supporters transported from Rusape town. She suffered injuries on the back and the right knee, which forced her to leave her post in the MDC. On 18 March her attackers returned and alleged that she was forcing witnesses to testify in the High Court election challenges against Defence Minister Moven Mahachi. She managed to escape and fled to Harare, for fear of further victimization.

Chikomba

• J.G., (aged 29), an MDC secretary at the district level in Sadza, was intimidated and victimized by the police on 17 March, when he returned from the election challenge hearings at the High Court. The police tried to abduct him, but he resisted and managed to flee the area. He suffered injuries on the back, abdomen, left ear and right cheek. The police are searching for him and other persons who have testified or will testify in the election petition hearings.

• P.Z., (aged 25), living in Chivhu, was abducted from his house while he was taking a bath. He was assaulted and detained on 10 March in the Sadza Police Station by ZRP. P.Z. was able to identify Constable Mhukayesango and Action Mugadza as two of his assailants. P.Z. was a witness in the election challenges before the High Court and when he returned from Harare, Inspector Majora confronted him, started shouting at him and threatened him with death. His attackers dragged him about 150 meters to the police station. He was forced to bite the front of a pistol and cold water was poured over him several times. His attackers hit him with open hands, sticks and a plank on his ears, cheek, wrist and back. He suffered multiple injuries. The following day the police threatened to shoot him and refused to give him a referral letter to receive medical care in the hospital. A week later, ZANU (PF) supporters removed property from his house. He was told never to come back to Chikomba.

• P.C., living in Sadza, is the district MDC chairman in Chikomba. The officer in charge of the Sadza Police Station confronted him when he returned from testifying at the High Court in Harare. He was threatened with assault and abduction. A ZANU (PF) vehicle was parked in front of his gate twice. He fled the area on 26 March out of fear of being victimized again.

• J.M. (aged 25) was threatened with assault by five ZANU (PF) youths on 21 March 2001, after she returned to Matove from testifying in the election petitions. Her assailants came to her home twice, once in the morning and again, in the evening armed with sticks. They demanded to know why she had gone to Harare. She managed to escape first to Sadza Growth Point and then to Harare.

Chiredzi North

• In Tshovani Township, ZANU (PF) supporters shattered the windows and door of K.M.’s home in retaliation for K.M’s testimony in the Chiredzi North election petition at the High Court. Previously, K.M.’s leg was broken when war veteran B.M. attacked him in late February in a failed attempt to dissuade K.M. from testifying in the Chiredzi North election petition.

April 2001

Chikomba

The Chairperson of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) was assaulted and two lawyers working for the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum narrowly escaped in ZANU (PF) instigated violence in the Chikomba constituency on Saturday, April 7. In a letter to the Commissioner of Police in Harare, Mr. Tawanda Hondora, of ZLHR, stated that members of ZANU (PF) assaulted him while police watched. Mr. Gabriel Shumba and Mr. Godfrey Mupanga, both of the Forum, managed to escape but were threatened with assault when they arrived at the local Sadza Police Station to make a complaint.

The three had traveled to Chikomba, in the Mashonaland East province, to investigate allegations of intimidation and assault directed at witnesses in the election challenges currently before the High Court. Mr. Hondora is representing Peter Kaunda, the MDC candidate for Chikomba, who is contesting his defeat on the basis of abuses directed at MDC supporters and electoral irregularities.

They arrived at Sadza Growth Point and soon noticed a crowd wearing ZANU (PF) t-shirts and army attire assembling in the area. Mr. Shumba went for the car in case violence occurred while the other two stayed behind to witness the rally. The crowd soon started chasing after one of Mr. Hondora’s witnesses, Nelson Chivanga. The assailants were armed with stones, axes, knobkerries and other weapons.

At this point the crowd turned on the three men saying that they were outsiders and calling them ‘sellouts’ and ‘stooges of the white man’. Mr. Hondora was caught and beaten. Mr. Shumba managed to escape and was hidden by a resident of a nearby homestead. Mr. Mupanga managed to drive away to safety.

At the time that Mr. Hondora was caught, Mr. Chivanga was already being severely beaten. Mr. Hondora was hit, kicked, slapped and whipped. He sustained bruises to his head, a possibly broken jaw, a bloody nose, a cut lip, lacerations and his molars have been weakened which caused him difficulty in consuming solid food for days afterwards. In addition his glasses were broken and his clothes were torn from the attack.

The three met up at the Sadza Police Station. Mr. Shumba and Mr. Mupanga went to make a complaint and discovered that Mr. Hondora was already there with Mr. Chivanga. Both men asked to be taken to a medical clinic but their request was refused. While in detention they were beaten further, searched and interrogated as to their affiliation with the MDC. Mr. Hondora alleges that Constable Cuthbert Mapfumo held him while he was being assaulted and that Constable Moses Zhakata participated in the assaults. Also present were Constable Mafandizvo, Constable Masaringo and Constable Nikisi. Assistant Inspector Majora ordered all police officers present to be armed with rifles and live ammunition. The rifles were pointed at the four men. In addition the men produced documents that identified them as officers of the court but these documents were swept to the floor and ignored.

Majora took Mr. Shumba and Mr. Mupanga into an adjacent room and lectured them on his view of the MDC. He asked how, as educated men, they could be used by white people. In addition he had their car searched and threatened to call war veteran leader Chenjerai Hunzvi, other war veterans and the army to ‘discipline’ them. After these incidents, which took about three hours, the men were released.

The three men made a report to the police in Harare when they returned. The Sadza Police Station was phoned for information but officials there denied any such event took place. At the moment Mr. Hondora is contemplating legal action against the police and individual police officers involved in the attack

Makoni East

• Mrs. Erica Nyaunde, a witness in the Makoni East election petition, told the High Court that she was the victim of harassment stemming from her willingness to testify in the case. She stated that on 17 April, three men followed her into a phone shop. One man, who she could identify only as ‘Douglas’, was wearing a ZANU (PF) t-shirt. Mrs. Nyaunde had gone to the phone shop to make a call about a check she was trying to cash. Douglas produced handcuffs and told her that she would ‘cash her check at the cemetery’. The men also said, ‘you gave us problems and your name is among 68 going to the High Court’. The men dispersed after the proprietor of the shop called police. A policeman then escorted Mrs. Nyaunde to a terminus.

Visit the Crisis in Zimbabwe fact sheet

Visit the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum 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