Political violence rocking Gutu District and perpetrated by Zanu PF youth ahead of the 2023 general elections is creating a humanitarian crisis by the day with more than 30 families running away from home and workplaces, Lloyd Mupfudze, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) district elections officer has said.
He appealed to well-wishers for food and shelter for the
victims of the violence adding that the situation was growing into a
humanitarian crisis.
Officer Commanding Masvingo East, Superintendent Taurai
Mambure was forced to call an urgent all-parties meeting on Wednesday to
discuss the issue of violence.
He barred The Mirror from the meeting and refused to give a
statement after the more than 4 hours’ deliberations.
Efforts to get a comment from Lovemore Matuke who is not
only Zanu PF secretary for security in the politburo but the most senior party
politician in the district and a Senator were futile as he did not pick his
phone.
Mufudze availed to The Mirror a list of Citizens Coalition
for Change (CCC) activists who deserted their homes at Mpandawana and
surrounding areas either after being attacked or receiving death threats.
“There is a crisis. Families that have run away from their
homes don’t have shelter and food. Others have lost sources of income after
being pushed out of their workplaces. These victims and their children need to
eat and a place to sleep but we have no means to help.
“Many people are sleeping in the bush for fear of being
attacked at night. The majority of the
victims are residents of Mpandawana while others stay on the outskirts of the
growth point.
“Many people have moved together with their children out of
the district to Harare and other places. There is well organised and funded
violence in the district and Police is not arresting anyone to the extent that
some people are assaulted at Police stations and in front of senior officers.
“The godfathers of the violence are known and they openly
brag about it. Gangs of hired thugs move in groups in broad daylight armed with
banned weapons like catapults, knobkerries, stones and machetes. They choose
their victims randomly and they abduct, assault men and women in public,” said
Mupfudze.
Four Makumbe brothers Tom, Kudakwashe, Nhamo and Jervas
were severely assaulted, thrown into sewerage and their phones crashed. They
have a welding company at Mpandawana Growth Point but they closed shop and
disappeared.
CCC councilor, Bernard Chimwango’s wife, Blessing Chiriga
was assaulted this week at the main bus rank. She and her children have left
the district for fear of further attacks. Chimwango is also no longer staying
at his house which is at Mpandawana.
Many CCC activists no longer visit Mpandawana or wear
yellow clothes in the business center as this has attracted attacks.
The ringleader in the attack has been identified as
Josephat Sarukore who is the Zanu PF District chair. Sarukore’s brothers
Tawanda and Samson have also been fingered while Joseph Mudziwepasi, a son of a
businessman in the growth point has openly confirmed his role in the violence.
Last November, the same Zanu PF gangs attacked and killed
Nyasha Zhambe from Chief Mawere’s when they stopped a vehicle in which he was
travelling in after setting up an illegal roadblock.
The suspects were all positively identified through videos
and other means but the case died a natural death after Police swept it under
the carpet. Masvingo Mirror
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