Village heads summoned to Mphoko Hurungwe West rally

Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has claimed that Chief Nyamhunga this morning summoned all village heads in Ward 17 Hurungwe West for an emergency meeting at the Chief's homestead.

The human rights watch dog said the village heads were addressed by one Colonel Murape who ordered them to ensure villagers attend a Zanu PF rally to be held today at Nyamhunga secondary school grounds.

"The rally is expected to be addressed by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko. Zanu PF political heavy weights have launched an intensive campaign in Hurungwe West to prop up the party candidate Keith Guzah ahead of Temba Mliswa who was expelled from Zanu PF.

"Villagers around the venue of the rally had a sleepless night since there was a deployment of people suspected to be members of state security agents who were manning the venue. Some school children have boycotted classes as a result of the planned rally,' it said.

"Fear has gripped the school children and villagers in general as most have vivid memories of the previous rally held at the same venue where Central Committee member Phillip Chiyangwa and some Zanu PF youths allegedly assaulted village heads and villagers with suspected allegiances to Temba Mliswa.

"The assaults allegedly happened in the presence of police officers and this has resulted in a lot of fear among the villagers,"

ZPP  said it reiterates its call for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to investigate the incidents of violence to ensure that the elections in Hurungwe West are conducted in a free and fair manner and in accordance with the law.