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Briefing Paper #3 - Violence against MDC party officials, MDC MPs and the MDC President
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
February 22, 2002

Violence against MDC Members of Parliament and against the President of MDC

At the end of June 2000 MDC Member of Parliament for Dzivarasekwa in Harare, Mr. Edwin Mushoriwa was beaten up by soldiers as he was conducting a victory parade with his supporters in the high-density suburb. Fifteen others were injured.

In the early hours of 7 October 2000 armed riot police broke into the house of Justin Mutendazamera, the MDC Member of Parliament for Mabvuku in Harare. They severely beat up the MP and his wife. The police accused him of having incited the food riots that had occurred recently, a charge that was denied by Mutendazamera.

In November 2000 Fidelis Mhashu the MDC MP for Seke narrowly escaped death when a group of sixty war veterans attacked him and other members at Beatrice Primary School. Mhashu said Chenjerai Hunzvi ZANU (PF) MP for Chikomba threatened to kill him.

On 6 February 2001 MDC MP for Chitungwiza in Harare, Job Sikhala, was assaulted by two truck loads of army personnel at 4.00 a.m. in the morning, while at his house. His pregnant wife and domestic worker were also assaulted. The soldiers whipped Sikhala and his family with chains at their home during this dawn raid.

On 26 May 2001 Abednico Bhebhe, MP for Nkayi was abducted yesterday in Nkayi. He was taken off to the bush and severely beaten. Despite having already lost consciousness twice, he managed to find the strength to grab an axe out of one of the assailants’ hands as they were about to kill him. His threats to kill the first man to approach him drove the cowardly attackers away. He is in Bulawayo recovering. 

At the end of May 2001 ZANU (PF) militias attacked Willias Madzimure, the Member of Parliament for Kambuzuma in Harare. This happened a few minutes after they assaulted Itai Chandiwana, an MDC activist at a nearby beerhall. A few days later about 200 war veterans and ZANU (PF) supporters attacked the home of Madzimure in Kambuzuma, in broad daylight. They destroyed windows, ransacked and looted household goods worth thousands of dollars. Godknows Musukutwa, 25, a security guard at the Member of Parliament’s home, sustained serious head injuries during the attack.

On 15 June 2001 Willias Madzimure, the MDC MP for Kambuzuma was assaulted by three Zanu PF supporters in the presence of the police in the charge office at Warren Park police post on SundayMadzimure said he received death threats before a group of about 200 war veterans and ZANU (PF) supporters last month attacked his home on two occasions within 24 hours, reducing it to a shell.

In mid-July 2001 the Harare home of Mrs Sekai Holland, MDC Secretary for International Affairs was laid siege to. Mrs Holland and her husband Jim were inside the house, which was surrounded by armed policemen. Mrs Holland had been driving in central Harare earlier this morning when she realised that her car was being followed by a white Defender Land Rover. A chase ensued as Mrs Holland tried to evade her pursuers, during which shots were fired at her vehicle. She managed to reach her home, and while entering the house further shots were fired, and her domestic employees were assaulted.

In October 2001 A group of about 60 suspected Zanu PF youths on Saturday stoned the house of Willas Madzimure, the MP for Kambuzuma, and destroyed property In the house. Madzimure was away at the time. This is the second attack on his house. In May, about 200 war veterans and ZANU (PF) supporters attacked Madzimure’s house in broad daylight, reducing it to a shell and looted household goods worth thousands of dollars. In the weekend attack, window panes in the MP’s bedroom were broken and asbestos sheets were damaged.

On 23 July 2001 Tsvangirai’s motorcade was attacked by ZANU (PF) youths in Chiveso village in Bindura in the run-up to the Bindura by-election. Tsvangirai’s Pajero vehicle was extensively damaged.

On 12 October 2001 near Patchway Mine along the Sanyati road, some 17 kilometres outside Kadoma Tsvangirai’s motorcade was attacked by a well organised group of about 50 ZANU (PF) supporters and war veterans. The group was wielding knobkerries, stones, machetes, spears and guns. The MDC President, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai. who was on a series of meetings with MDC structures throughout the country in preparation for the presidential campaigns, was travelling from the Midlands province. He was scheduled to meet with MDC structures in the Sanyati communal lands in the afternoon. The group stoned Tsvangirai’s car, shattering all windows and causing extensive damage to the vehicle’s body. The President escaped with minor bruises. This incident was reported to the police in Kadoma who were not uncooperative at all. They were not keen to open up a docket. They made unfounded allegations about shots being fired by the MDC officials at the marauding Zanu PF gang.

In December 2001 in Karoi north-west of Harare, Titus Nheya, 56, was stabbed to death allegedly by Zanu PF militiamen on December 21. As the MDC's parliamentary candidate for the area, Mr Nheya lost to Mr Mugabe's sister, Sabina, in the June 2000 elections. Trymore Midzi, 24, an MDC official in the northern town of Bindura, died on Boxing Day after being stabbed and assaulted by men in the para-military uniforms of the militia, according to the MDC. Laban Chiweta, 24, also died on Wednesday, from head wounds and burns he received from ZANU (PF) militiamen in the town of Trojan Mine. The MDC alleges that the men who killed Chiweta were trained by Zanu PF's political commissar, Elliot Manyika.

On 26 January 2002 An MDC MP David Mpala, was abducted from his home in Lupane by suspected war veterans and ZANU (PF) supporters. His abdomen was slit open with knives during the attack. He was dumped about 6km from Lupane Business Centre, unconscious and bleeding profusely. He was critically injured but survived after treatment in hospital.

7 February 2002 Three MDC MPs campaigning for next month's elections have been abducted, beaten and tortured for two days by ZANU (PF). Abednico Bhebhe, MP for Nkayi, Peter Nyoni, MP for Victoria Falls, and Joel Gabuza, MP for Binga - led a convoy to distribute MDC leaflets. The tyres of their cars were shot at by soldiers and they were attacked by Mr Mugabe's youth militia working with the army, according to local residents. Mr Bhebhe was among those seriously injured. The MPs and other MDC officials were eventually taken to the Nkayi police station where they were interrogated and held overnight on Wednesday. They were paraded bleeding outside the police station. Although many bystanders witnessed the daylight assault, no one was arrested. In May 2000 Mr Bhebhe was abducted and beaten unconscious in Nkayi.

Violence against MDC party officials

Period prior to June 2000 elections

Many party officials were attacked and a number were killed. Two of the worst incidents during this period were these:

• In April 2000 in the Buhera North constituency two MDC party officials, Tichaona Chiminya and Talent Mabika were killed when their vehicle was forced to stop and their vehicle was set on fire with petrol by ZANU (PF) attackers. The two victims were burnt to death.
• In May 2000 a ZANU (PF) militia group consisting of several hundred people attacked the homestead at which the relatives of an MDC parliamentary candidate lived. This attack was apparently mounted because the militias were unable to locate and attack the candidate himself. Mathew Pfebve was brutally beaten to death and several other family members were beaten up. Several homes were also set on fire.

Period after June 2000 elections

In the period following upon the June 2000 elections there have been numerous incidents. Some of these incidents are these:

• Ropafadzo Manyame, a female MDC activist aged 29, died in hospital on 16 January 2001. Manyame had been in hospital for almost two weeks, after having been badly injured in an attack by ZANU (PF) members in Bikita West. 30 December 2000, ZANU (PF) MP (Chikomba) Chenjerai Hunzvi directed his supporters to attack MDC MPs, leaders and members at the Nyika Service Station. The group was attacked by armed war veterans, who burned several vehicles and Manyame was injured in this attack.
• On 24 July 2000 ZANU (PF) supporters allegedly abducted Itayi Maguwu, an election agent for the MDC candidate for Dzivarasekwa constituency. He was killed and his mutilated body was dumped near his house a few days later. The late Maguwu was the election agent for Edwin Mushoriwa, who beat ZANU (PF)’s Omega Hungwe in the violence-ridden June parliamentary election. His badly mutilated body was found about 200 metres from his house in the early morning hours.
• On 25 November 2000 in Mahusekwa the MDC treasurer for Furamera branch and his wife were brutally assaulted by 10 suspected ZANU (PF) supporters in the violence preceding the Marondera West by election.
• On 7 March 2001 the MDC chairman in Shamva was severely assaulted by ZANU (PF) supporters. Other MDC officials from Shamva have fled from their homes after repeated attacks.
• On 20 May 2001 Edson Mukwasi, 27, MDC’s Harare provincial youth chairman, sustained a swollen eye and several injuries to his body after he was attacked by ZANU (PF) supporters in Kambuzuma.
• At the end of May 2001 Joel Sithole, the MDC Plumtree ward 10 in Matabeleland candidate for council elections, was detained and tortured for more than 24 hours before fleeing his tormentors. Sithole, 60, was abducted by masked men suspected to be war veterans and ZANU (PF) supporters. He has since named some of his abductors, all from the Bango area of Bulilimamangwe South. Sithole was abducted at around 4.00 a.m. by suspected war veterans and ZANU (PF) supporters while waiting for transport at Brunapeg, about 60km south of Plumtree town.
• In early July 2001 Mazita Mapondo, an MDC activist in Gokwe West, was beaten up and left for dead by alleged ZANU (PF) supporters. Violence flared up after ZANU (PF) supporters ordered MDC members to surrender their membership cards and T-shirts. He was struck with poles on the head. His hands were tied with wire and then burnt. They also threatened to cut off his legs because of his allegiance to the MDC.
• On 1 September 2001 Tafara Zhanda, the MDC district chairman for Zvimba North, and his wife, Lenia, narrowly escaped death on Tuesday night after suspected ZANU (PF) supporters locked them in their house in Mutorashanga before bombing it.
• ON 21 December 2001 in Karoi north-west of Harare ZANU (PF) militiamen, stabbed to death Titus Nheya, aged 56. As the MDC's parliamentary candidate for the area, Mr Nheya lost to Mr Mugabe's sister, Sabina, in the June 2000 elections.
• Trymore Midzi, 24, an MDC official in the northern town of Bindura, died on 26 December 2001 after being stabbed and assaulted by men in the para-military uniforms of the militia.
• On 26 December 2001 Laban Chiweta, 24, died from head wounds and burns he received from ZANU (PF) militiamen in the town of Trojan Mine. The MDC alleges that the men who killed Chiweta were trained by ZANU (PF)'s political commissar, Elliot Manyika.
• In early January 2002 an MDC supporter, Milton Chambati, 45, was beheaded by 50 ZANU (PF) supporters followers in the small north-western town of Magunge.

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