Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Violence continues in Mashonaland Central and East
Zimbabwe Peace Project
May 22, 2008

Mt Darwin East Constituency

Chibara school Ward 12,14,15 and 16
On the 6th of May 2008, about seventeen ZESN local observers who observed the harmonized election were harassed, three of them were heavily assaulted and their houses were burnt. Shupikai Tauzeni, Kelvin Nzimba and Obert Muropa together with his three children aged ten, fifteen and sixteen were assaulted because they were accused of having sold the country to the Western powers and also of having rigged the elections as observers. It is also alleged that on the 8th of May 2008, a woman aged seventy- eighty was heavily assaulted and her goods were looted because three of her children observed the harmonized elections on the 29th of March 2008. One of her children was beaten together with his wife but the other children ran away. Her husband was beaten and sustained a broken right arm and he is still in hospital.

It is said that ZANU-PF supporters are not allowing people in Mt Darwin East Ward 12,14,15,16 to buy sugar, cooking oil and washing soap and they are questioning people on where they get the money to buy those commodities.

It is alleged that on the 12th of May 2008 the same ZANU-PF supporters burnt twelve houses and looted property worth more than fifteen trillion dollars. One victim identified as Gudjail Karimatsenga lost property worth three trillion dollars. Victims had to walk thirty kilometers to Mt Darwin Center to board buses to Harare. The perpetrators are CIO members led by AN and MK, youth militias and war veterans. The crew usually held their meetings at Ward 15 Councillor GK's residence in Mt Darwin. The members of the group are SS and TC who even killed his father on the 10th of May 2008 accusing him of having voted for MDC- Tsvangirai . Member of Parliament for Mt Darwin South, SK and Member of Parliament for Mt Darwin North are reported to be behind all the violations that are taking place in Mt Darwin East

According to the reports received it is said the violence worsened after the address by the vice President Mrs Mujuru. Initially Joyce Mujuru had called for the meeting to discuss peace issues but after the meeting the headman, chairpersons of ZANU-PF party structures and chiefs were told to remain behind where it is said that they were told to eliminate all opposition party members and their sympathizers.

Mashonaland East

Dendera and Muzezuru Villages
It is alleged that the headman and base commander of the Rangani Village, war veterans and the ZANU-PF losing councillor, are taking ZESN observers and those perceived to be opposition supporters into the bases of torture. The bases have been set up in Muzezuru and Dendera villages. At these bases, the perpetrators are slaughtering the victims' goats for food and also confisticating food stuffs they come across at the victims' homestead. Chamunorwa Jombo aged 31, Kapesi Moses 30 , Alouise Katsande 22 are some of the ZESN observers who were kidnapped and detained for 40 hours. It is alleged that the Member of Parliament for Mudzi North Constituency is leading his members into violent acts. The perpetrators are driving Mahindra, white Isuzu single cab and Mitsubishi trucks with no number plates.

The victims from Mashonaland East and Central fled to Harare where they were helped by an organization which offered them medical facilities and accommodation at YWCA. On the 20th of May 2008 at around 11am, nine Southerton riot policemen came and ordered all the victims into a lorry and ferried them to Mbare bus terminus where they were told to go back to their homes . The victims were told that they should not bring problems to the city.

Meanwhile, the Governor and Resident Minister for Mashonaland East Ray Kaukonde has instructed for the demolition of these bases .It is yet to be seen whether people will heed this call.

Visit the ZPP 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