News / National
'Dirty campaign gimmick' unearthed
07 Jan 2013 at 13:29hrs | Views
MDC-T has claimed that it had unearthed what it termed a dirty Zanu-PF campaign gimmick involving sponsorship of more than 10 bogus residents' associations to decampaign sitting MDC-T public officials in Harare
The party also claimed that there was a plot by Zanu-PF to coerce residents, particularly in Mbare and Epworth, to attend their meetings, failure of which they would face unspecified action.
MDC-T organising secretary Nelson Chamisa confirmed the alleged plot and accused Zanu-PF of intensifying its intimidation tactics ahead of harmonised elections expected this year.
"They will be targeting MDC officials and there are plots to assassinate some of them but they are forgetting that politics is not a game of wrestling and is not even synonymous with murder," said Chamisa.
"They want to form bogus residents' associations meant to destabilise and intimidate any MDC official, in particular MPs and councillors.
"It's more or less the Chipangano type of intimidation to unleash a reign of terror. In Epworth they want to put paint on people's houses to easily recognise MDC supporters whose house will have a red mark while the Zanu-PF houses will have a green mark to unleash almost the Nazi type of persecution."
MDC-T claimed that Zanu-PF's "dirty campaign" tactics were likely to increase as the country gears for elections.
Investigations by NewsDay have shown the mushrooming of residents' associations purporting to represent the interests of residents against the MDC-T dominated councils.
In Mbare, a Zanu-PF-aligned association has been established to run alongside similar organisations in Kuwadzana, Epworth, Kambuzuma, Mabvuku-Tafara and other areas.
However, Zanu-PF provincial youth chairperson Jim Kunaka rubbished the claims and accused MDC-T of running scared and seeing non-existent shadows.
Kunaka singled out Chamisa and Mbare MP Piniel Denga as having failed to bring meaningful development to their constituencies.
"If you go to Chamisa's constituency in Kuwadzana and ask him what he has done for the people, there is nothing.
"If you go to Mbare ask Piniel Denga the same. There is nothing to show for the five years they have been in public office," said Kunaka.
"We are mobilising and selling our party policies to the people and we will not engage in violence.
"We call for unity, peace and development and we don't tolerate violence at all.
"The President was very clear in Gweru that elections will go ahead this year and we have a mandate as young people to mobilise and persuade people to vote for Zanu-PF," he said.
The party also claimed that there was a plot by Zanu-PF to coerce residents, particularly in Mbare and Epworth, to attend their meetings, failure of which they would face unspecified action.
MDC-T organising secretary Nelson Chamisa confirmed the alleged plot and accused Zanu-PF of intensifying its intimidation tactics ahead of harmonised elections expected this year.
"They will be targeting MDC officials and there are plots to assassinate some of them but they are forgetting that politics is not a game of wrestling and is not even synonymous with murder," said Chamisa.
"They want to form bogus residents' associations meant to destabilise and intimidate any MDC official, in particular MPs and councillors.
"It's more or less the Chipangano type of intimidation to unleash a reign of terror. In Epworth they want to put paint on people's houses to easily recognise MDC supporters whose house will have a red mark while the Zanu-PF houses will have a green mark to unleash almost the Nazi type of persecution."
MDC-T claimed that Zanu-PF's "dirty campaign" tactics were likely to increase as the country gears for elections.
Investigations by NewsDay have shown the mushrooming of residents' associations purporting to represent the interests of residents against the MDC-T dominated councils.
However, Zanu-PF provincial youth chairperson Jim Kunaka rubbished the claims and accused MDC-T of running scared and seeing non-existent shadows.
Kunaka singled out Chamisa and Mbare MP Piniel Denga as having failed to bring meaningful development to their constituencies.
"If you go to Chamisa's constituency in Kuwadzana and ask him what he has done for the people, there is nothing.
"If you go to Mbare ask Piniel Denga the same. There is nothing to show for the five years they have been in public office," said Kunaka.
"We are mobilising and selling our party policies to the people and we will not engage in violence.
"We call for unity, peace and development and we don't tolerate violence at all.
"The President was very clear in Gweru that elections will go ahead this year and we have a mandate as young people to mobilise and persuade people to vote for Zanu-PF," he said.
Source - NewsDay
