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Zanu (PF) door-to-door registration sparks fear
IRIN News
March 08, 2011

http://www.radiovop.com/national-news/5747-zanu-pf-door-to-door-registration-sparks-fear.html

Masvingo residents said they were living in fear as Zanu (PF) youths and war veterans were moving door-to-door registering all people above 18 years and forcing them to attend meetings.

The war veterans and youths who are moving around clad in Zanu (PF) regalia are demanding to know residents' national registration numbers, occupation, age and marital status.

After taking the personal details, residents are then told of their respective meeting venues where they are supposed to appear at least once a week.

Asked to comment Zanu (PF) Masvingo provincial chairman Lovemore Matuke said: "Why do you want my comment? Ask those who are collecting the details in the streets - they know what they are doing and why."

However, residents interviewed described the exercise as victimisation.

"This is the start of victimisation. Our personal information will be used to victimise us very soon. We had no option besides giving them our details because we were not sure of what they were going to do to us if we had refused.

"We are now living in fear because they now have our residential addresses and they also know where we work. They can come hard on us anytime they wish," said Trymore Jangara of Mucheke D.

Mucheke residents are being ordered to report at Vurombo Primary School every Sunday for star rallies while those who live in Old Mucheke are supposed to go to Chiefs' Hall for similar meetings every Sunday. Those who live in places such as Sisk and Pangolin will meet their commanders in Mamutse stadium every weekend.

Although the actual penalty for not attending the rallies is not known, residents said they were afraid of possible torture.

"Why do they force us to be part of them? We are afraid of torture if we refuse to abide by their orders," said another resident.

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) provincial chairman Wilstauff Sitemere said the move by Zanu (PF) to 'bulldoze itself in to the people was old-fashioned and regrettable'.

"Our people are being victimised every day. Why are they bulldozing themselves in the people? We see they have started to victimise innocent Zimbabweans," said Sitemere.

Sitimere said there was nothing much he could do to help since the police have now become partisan.

Meanwhile MDC-T senator for Gutu, Empire Makamure, claims police details stormed his house at 1 am over the weekend, demanding to search for criminals.

Makamure, who had his car torched by suspected Zanu (PF) PF thugs in 2008, said the three uniformed police details knocked at his gate in Gutu Mupandawana growth point accusing him of harbouring criminals.

"I was asleep when I heard loud knocks on my gate. When I went out to investigate, I was shocked when the police details said I was housing criminals, something which is false. I refused to open, and they left.

"When I went to Gutu police station at sunrise, I was told that the police had made a mistake as they were looking for a robbery suspect.

"They said they intended to search my neighbour, not me. What incensed me was that they did not even apologise when they told me it was a mistake," said Makamure.

Acting Masvingo provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Prosper Mugauri, refused to comment on the matter, saying it's 'too political.'

"That is a sensitive issue; I do not want to put myself in such murky waters. Why don't you talk to my bosses in Harare?"

Makamure said he managed to identify the cops as Constable Nyirenda (force number 057138 F), Constable Mliswa (force number 071539 J), and Constable Khumalo (force number 071533 C).

No comment could be obtained from the police headquarters in Harare.

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