Heal Zimbabwe condemns attack of MDC-T members in Budiriro

Heal Zimbabwe and organisation fighting for the human rights and democracy has condemned the assault of Honourable Costa Machingauta, an MDC-T National Assembly representative for Budiriro as well as 10 other party supporters by alleged ZANU PF supporters on 23 April 2015.

The victims were coming from a rally where party President, Morgan Tsvangirai launched the party's "No Reforms, No Elections campaign in Glen View 3 shops in Harare.

The organisation said the ZANU PF youths first interrogated Machingauta at Budiriro 4 shops as to why he was wearing MDC-T regalia.

"Soon after, they started assaulting him with bottles and threatened him with death if he continued to support the opposition," states the Heal Zimbabwe.

"The other 10 MDC-T supporters (4 women and 6 men) who were dispersing after the Glen View rally, suffered ambush by another group of ZANU PF youth activists who had hidden in maize fields along the Mufakose road. They were also assaulted for putting on MDC regalia. Most of them suffered minor injuries."

The organisation said the assault on Machingauta and other MDC-T supporters is a direct violation of Section 67 of the Zimbabwean Constitution which promotes the upholding of political rights where citizens are free to make political choices of their own and freely participate in any political activity.

"The victimisation come hardly a week after the assault of Sidney Chisi ( Director of YIDEZ), a human rights activist by police officers after the anti-xenophobic protest at the South African embassy last week," said Heal Zimbabwe.

"Heal Zimbabwe calls on the police to investigate the assaults and apprehend the culprits. Heal Zimbabwe also implores the Government to ensure peaceful co-existence and tolerance within Zimbabwean communities thus fulfilling its constitutional mandate of promoting national unity, peace and stability."

The violence allegedly committed by Zanu PF activists come in the wake of by election campaigns having kicked off in the 14 constituencies which were left vacant when the MDC-T fired 21 MPs who defected to form the MDC Renewal.