Harassment of MDC members escalates
Posted by ZDN on January 24, 2010
Reports of intimidation at village and ward level have been pouring in from the Mudzi area of Mashonaland. Some of the confirmed incidents are:
Friday 15 January 2010
The Headmaster for Rukonde School in Mudzi north was visited late in the night by Zanu-PF youths. They called on him and his family to come out. They refused. The gang banged on the door for some time while singing ‘Chimurenga’ songs. They then left and came back early the next morning. Mr Makoni was slapped around and asked why he was supporting MDC. The thugs ordered him to produce a list of all MDC members and officials “so we can do our work”. The Makoni family are now too afraid to sleep in their own house. Although Mr Makoni, a respected member of the community, reported the incident to the Police, no investigation is taking place.
MDC district official Mr Mutize who was tortured in the 2008 violence, and beaten a few weeks ago, was again visited by the George Katsande gang and asked why he had reported his assault to the Police. The thugs said that they would give Mutize one week to “surrender to Zanu-PF” or they would come back and burn down his home.
Monday 18 Jan 2010
Additional reports from the area have confirmed that George Katsande is leading his gang around all the wards again telling people that whoever supports MDC will be shot. He said, “We have guns, and the soldiers are ours, so we are above the law.”
The group led by George Katsande is moving form ward to ward in a small convoy of vehicles. Some of the gang members are:
Tichafa Kativhu
Jabulani Japi
Chiramira Kativhu
Martin Mutaundi
Daniel Chiendega
Charles Punzo (war veteran).
The Kativhu brothers are well remembered by locals for their part in the torture and violence in the area in 2008.
In the Midlands province, Mr Wilstaff Sitemere, Masvingo MDC Chairman was arrested, also on 18 January under unclear circumstances. He was transferred to Harare Police CID the following day.
Tuesday 19 January
Two winning MDC Councillors in the 2008 municipal elections were arrested and taken to Banket Police station on charges of allegedly abducting the losing Zanu-PF councillors in 2008. The MDC councillors are Chinazvana and Funny Campbell, who were detained for 24 hours but released without being charged.
This represents the same pattern of harassment of the opposition by Zanu-PF that has been seen over and over in Zimbabwe.
MDC sources say there are an estimated 200 MDC members still missing (presumed dead) after the Zanu-PF state sponsored and perpetrated violence in 2008. It is well known that the Police have destroyed dockets relating to Mugabe’s punishment of voters after the 2008 stolen election.
There are murderers, arsonists and torturers among the Zanu-PF outreach teams is a shaming indictment of the politically sponsored failure of the police and judicial system under AG Johannes Tomana. The police dockets opened on the Zanu-PF criminals have ‘disappeared’, while innocent MDC supporters continue to be arrested on trumped up charges that date back over 18 months..
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