Zanu-PF official bashed for putting on party regalia

A Zanu-PF district official in Chitungwiza was severely assaulted by more than 15 MDC-T officials last Sunday, sprinkled with an unknown substance and left for dead in Unit D, Chitungwiza for putting on his party regalia.

Fungai Mazhindu, who is now recovering at his Unit H residence was left unconscious, had his beret confiscated T-shirt torn apart and given an ordinary shirt by his assailants.

The Zanu-PF stickers on his car were also torn and the US$300 he had on him was stolen.

Seven MDC-T officials appeared before a Chitungwiza magistrate last week charged with politically-motivated assault.

They were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before magistrate Mr Lazarus Murendo and were remanded in custody to April 29.

Mr Murendo asked them to seek bail at the High Court after prosecutor Mr Lovet Muringwa opposed bail.

The seven, Fortune Bonde (28) and his brother Terence (25) of 4071 Unit D are jointly charged with five others, Farai Madotsa (32), Tafadzwa Chitenhewere (22), Tongai Manyika (35), Kudakwashe Chinheya (22) and Tapiwa Madzunga (35).

Narrating his ordeal yesterday, Mazhindu said the problem started when he had gone to Unit D to check on Terrence, who had been injured some days earlier.

"I went there putting on my party regalia because I wanted to proceed to Hatcliffe where we had a Zanu-PF meeting.

"I gave Terrence US$30 as money to meet some of his medical expenses after he sustained some injuries in an accident where he fell off my car when I was reversing," said Mazhindu who is a member of Johanne Masowe Vadzidzi.

He said while he was talking with Terrence, some youths at the residence teamed up, led by one Rambo and assaulted him until he fell unconscious.

This was after an identified woman at the residence shouted "Batai munhu."

"They tore the sticker bearing President Mugabe on my car saying he was not their president.

"The man they called Rambo then arrived, assaulted me on the eye using a pot and subsequently booted feet and fists in a free for all drama.

"At one stage I was made to lie on a bed and assaulted using clutches. At that stage Rambo asked his colleagues "Ndochiuraya here" while holding a knife," he said.

"Others shouted No! let's first burn his car while he watches.

"At that time Rambo took away my party regalia including US$300 in my green party shirt.

"I was then given an ordinary T-shirt.

"My church colleague managed to drive my car to safety and parked it at our church shrine."

The assailants then sprayed him with an unknown substance on his nose and eyes.

"Each time they sprayed, I would feel weak," he said.

When he was temporarily left unattended thinking that he had died, he quickly sent messages to colleagues that he was in danger.

When they saw that I was sending messages, they shouted 'Arikudaidza tuvanhu twake tweZanu-PF and began to assault me again until I lost consciousness."

After the assault, they took him to the police where they misled authorities that he had run over a person.

It was the intervention of the officer-in-charge that saved him and he was subsequently taken to hospital.

Asked how he was now feeling, Mazhindu said he had blurred vision owing to the unknown substances sprayed  on  him  and  had lost appetite.

"I still have breathing problems, and my two teeth were shaken," he said.

During the remand hearing, the State led by Mr Muringwa said all parties in the inclusive Government had declared zero tolerance towards political violence, yet the seven had the guts to commit the crime.

On independence day, President Mugabe warned party supporters to desist from political violence.

Mugabe said supporters of political parties must be allowed to put on their party regalia without hindrance.

He urged the police to be decisive in dealing with perpetrators of political violence.