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Health minister implicated again as 2 more die in Murehwa
Tererai Karimakwenda, SW Radio Africa
June 02, 2008

http://www.swradioafrica.com/news020608/parirenyatwa020608.htm

We have received reports that state sponsored violence claimed 2 more lives over the weekend in the areas of Murehwa North. Our contacts said there were severe assaults on MDC supporters on Saturday and Sunday. The targeted areas were Chemapango and KuDombwe in Murehwa North. Murehwa is the area where the murdered MDC activist Shepherd Jani was abducted earlier this month.

According to the reports, the 2 who died were severely beaten at the shops at KuDombwe. Access to the deceased is being blocked by ZANU-PF gangs, as a result of which their names have not yet been verified. The sources said 2 others were critically injured in the same area and the perpetrators are also blocking access to them.

Local villagers named the Minister of Health and MP for Murehwa David Parirenyatwa as one of the coordinators of the violence. The others who were named are the notorious so-called war vet named Mavhungire, the MP for Uzumba Simba Mutarikwa and the Senator for Murehwa Bright Makonde.

The reports said traditional leaders were among those who were assaulted. This includes Sabhuku Choruwa and Sabhuku Musakwa. The villages of Mutsvairo, Chingono and Chinake were also attacked by the so-called war veterans, soldiers and youth militia. These villages are all located in Chemapango in Murehwa North. ZANU-PF is said to be operating in the area from a base at Makonde Complex.

MDC activists who are still in Murehwa are being gathered at meetings where the beatings are taking place, and villagers are being told to vote for ZANU-PF or there will be a price to pay. At KuDombwe, our sources reported that the father of the winning Councilor for ward 16, Baba Samutukwa, lost 2 teeth during the assaults.

Another disturbing development reported in Murehwa is that ZANU-PF plans to use police officers, soldiers and youth militia as presiding officers at the polling stations on June 27 when Zimbabweans vote in the presidential runoff poll. Many MDC activists in the Murehwa area said they were told to pretend that they cannot write so that ZANU-PF officials can assist them to vote.

Murehwa has been heavily targetted because MDC activists there were very organised and they have resisted attacks by the ruling party for a long time. ZANU-PF has now slowly destroyed opposition structures there and many MDC activists have fled to safe houses in other areas. With state sponsored violence being reported in several pockets around the country, there is no way an election can be considered free and fair under these conditions.

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