Posted on 01/19/2004 4:25:27 AM PST by Clive
Zanu PF thugs mount terror campaign in Gutu North By Savious Kwinika
BULAWAYO – Barely a fortnight before the Gutu north by-election takes place, marauding Zanu PF youths and war veterans have laid siege to the constituency, effectively making it impossible for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to campaign.
Torture, beatings and harassment of opposition supporters have become the order of the day in the constituency where thousands of Zanu PF militias, bussed from Mashonaland provinces, have been deployed.
The youths have virtually turned the rural part of the constituency into a no go area for anyone who is not a known Zanu PF supporter.
Gutu businessman Kassim Jonas who went to Zvavahera Business Centre on a business errant recently was tortured in broad day light.
Said the businessman: “Two well-known Zanu PF thugs, Nhema and Mtirikwi, in the company of a group of other Zanu PF youths, last Tuesday approached me while I was going about my normal business at Zvavahera and accused me of supporting the opposition.”
He added: “They began assaulting me with clenched fists and booted feet before handcuffing me and my friend John Muridzo.
“They then led us to the Central Intelligence camp at Gutu Mupandawana where they had also arrested another man who works for a donor organisation on similar allegations. There they ordered us to stand on our heads: ‘Takurai nyika yenyu’ they told us.”
The businessman, who was later released the same day, sustained internal injuries and a swollen face.
So intense is the terror campaign that opposition MDC candidate Casper Musoni, hardly a fortnight before the by-election is held, has not even be able to hold a single rally in the constituency.
What Musoni can only do is to talk to people on an individual basis in the growth point which constitutes only a small fraction of the electorate.
Musoni himself has also not been spared the harassment and threats from militias moving in open trucks at Mpandawana.
Three days ago, Musoni, who had closed his fast food outlet at the centre around 9:00 PM, was followed by two pick-up trucks loaded with youths which blocked his vehicle near Gutu rural district council offices in the dark.
During the run up to 2000 parliamentary election, Musoni, then pitted against the late Vice President Simon Muzenda, had to go underground for a long time after several attempts were made on his life.
MDC Masvingo provincial vice chairman, Shacky Matake told The Standard yesterday that the party had not been able to campaign openly as they were faced with two obstacles: getting police clearance for rallies and facing the wrath of marauding Zanu PF militias.
“As I speak right now, one of our campaign agents was severely assaulted at Zvavahera Business Centre by suspected Zanu PF supporters and war veterans,” said Matake.
Police have not yet given the MDC a clearance to campaign openly in Gutu North.
“We have written a letter to the police and hand delivered it so that we are allowed to campaign publicly just as Zanu PF is doing, and again there is no response from the police,” said Matake.
While MDC supporters are running away from the militias, Zanu PF officials have already covered the whole of Gutu North constituency with war veterans and youths establishing campaign bases.
It is estimated that the governing party has so far blown $150 million to campaign for the rural constituency.
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He was from this province and his seat in Parliament is up for grabs.
As this province borders South Africa, it is understandable why it is vital for ZANU-PF to retain control.
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