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Political violence creates animosity in communities
Heal Zimbabwe
March 02, 2011

Heal Zimbabwe continue to facilitate the holding of memorial services for victims of political violence in Zimbabwe. From 23 to 26 February 2011, the organization in collaboration with victims' families held seven memorial services in memory of the seven people who were murdered at political bases in Murehwa during the violence period. Most of the violent cases reported have been instigated by community members who are known to each other. It is the same people who work in cohorts with the army, youth militias and war veterans to intimidate civilians.

There is an estimated number of close to 240 people killed during the 2008 political violence. Heal Zimbabwe intends to facilitate the carrying out of all memorial services for the deceased. To date, the organization has managed to carry out 70 memorials in areas most hit by political violence that is in Muzarabani, Gokwe, Mutoko, Headlands, Zaka, Mwenezi, Rusape and Buhera. The public memorialisation project gives the families of the deceased, a platform to openly mourn their loved ones as they never had the opportunity during the gruesome period. Various shocking cases were reported during the memorials, with reported cases of families being forced to bury their relatives using candles in the middle of the night with only less than six people present at the graveside, people were not allowed to mourn the so called "traitors" and this has had adverse psychological and emotional damages to the families who have been living in fear and isolation since 2008.

There is still an atmosphere of intense fear in Murehwa more than two years after the Inclusive Government. The resurgence of political violence in various areas specifically in Harare has sent shock waves in people residing in rural areas as to them Harare resembles a "sanctuary" hence if it is attacked, it poses a serious threat to the rural folks. From the research currently being carried out by Heal Zimbabwe on the nature of political violence in Zimbabwe, it is emerging that in some instances, political violence is being used as an excuse to settle personal scores in communities, a case in point is the one below:

Dennis Mutize

Dennis Mutize was born on 26 June 1981 in Murehwa, he met his fate in the hands of youth militias on 21 June 2008 just 5 days before his 28th birthday. His death did not come because he was an MDC supporter but it was caused by his neighbor who accused him of stealing his turkey. As a way of fixing Dennis, the accused neighbor reported Dennis to the local youth leaders who were manning a base that Dennis was one of the staunch supporters of the MDC and as a result, he was abducted and seriously tortured leading to his death two hours later at the base. The turkey was later found in the nearby forest where it was laying eggs. The Mutize family was so hurt and Dennis's mother collapsed only to regain conscious after two days. The family took the deceased corpse to the perpetrator's homestead where it stayed for three days but the family was later forced by the police to bury their relative and no arrests were made. What angers Dennis Mutize's mother is that Dennis did not belong to any political party and he had never voted for anyone in his entire life.

Seven memorial services were held for:

Heal Zimbabwe reiterates that politicians should not divide communities through garnering for political power. They should follow the proper peaceful channels of campaigning instead of forcing people to vote for them as it is resulting in the murdering of innocent souls for example Dennis Mutize.

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