OUTSPOKEN Zanu PF legislator (Buhera South) and former war
veterans leader, Joseph Chinotimba, has been accused of unleashing party youths
to intimidate and beat up war veterans perceived as having decampaigned him in
the July 30 harmonised elections, NewsDay has heard.
Local war veterans chairperson Nelson Mahamba told NewsDay
yesterday that most former fighters suspected to have backed losing independent
candidate Ngonidzashe Mudekunye were now in trouble with Chinotimba’s militia.
Mahamba said the party youths chased away Mudekunye’s
supporters from the Heroes’ Day commemorations held in the district last week.
“It’s very unfortunate that comrade Joseph Chinotimba wants
to take the law into his own hands. How can he chase away war veterans from
Heroes’ Day celebrations? He incited some youths to beat us,” Mahamba said.
“I condemn his actions in the strongest terms, he is
inciting some Zanu PF youths to beat people perceived to be Mudekunye’s
supporters.
“Chinotimba narrowly defeated Mudekunye who reportedly had
support from some local chiefs,” he said.
Buhera district war veterans’ political commissar Moffart
Gondowe also expressed concern over Chinotimba’s alleged bullying tactics.
“At the Heroes’ Day celebrations at Murambi River,
Chinotimba took to the podium and said that those who did not support him
during the harmonised elections should just leave the shrine,” he said.
“He incited some of the youths and they came in their
numbers, almost 20, and I had to flee our district’s heroes commemorations.
Unfortunately, one of the comrades was beaten by the marauding youths,” he
said.
Although Chinotimba denied allegations of setting party
militias against his rivals, he, however, confirmed the divisions in the Zanu
PF district structures.
“Mahamba is the best person (sic) over the matter because
he is the chairman for Buhera, but I am trying to find out. I don’t know what
you are saying (sic) but there are some war veterans who were campaigning for
an independent candidate, the heroes’ celebrations is for the nation, not only
for war veterans, there is no violence in Buhera South,” he said. Newsday
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