Mugabe ally's workers tortured

Suspected Zanu-PF supporters yesterday morning allegedly tortured an MDC Alliance candidate's workers before setting his company offices in Harare ablaze.

The coalition's Harare South candidate, Shadreck Mashayamombe, one of the several MPs that were fired for allegedly belonging to the G40 faction that backed former president Robert Mugabe, is being challenged by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's nephew Tongai.

Mashayamombe yesterday alleged that Zanu-PF supporters accompanied by Tongai arrived at his company premises at Mbudzi in Harare South in twin cab trucks early yesterday morning.

"At around 2am, Tongai, in a double cab with youths in two other vehicles, arrived at my company and knocked on the door and my three workers went out," he said.

"They beat up the three and threw them into a water pond at the premises.

"They took away two generators, and plastic pipes before setting the building ablaze, destroying everything."

Mashayamombe reported the matter to the police, while his workers were treated at a private hospital in Harare.

He alleged the attack was planned as early as Monday when Zanu-PF supporters invaded his land before they were evicted by the police.

Mashayamombe's manager Silence Chikuni said his colleague came knocking at his door, saying there were people who wanted to see him.

"Outside there were several cars with one inscribed ED-PFEE on its plates," he said.

"These men were demanding the general plan for stands here, saying that Mashayamombe got this land when he was still part of Zanu-PF and that he should surrender the land and start his own things," Chikuni said.

"When we failed to provide the general plan they made us sit at that pile of river sand and later threw me in that pond, saying they could kill me and started to smear me with mud afterwards.

"They threatened to burn the cabin in which my colleague stays and when we came back from the police station, it was on fire."

Tongai was not reachable for comment.