News / Regional
'Burn MDC party cards,' JB instructs villagers
17 May 2013 at 13:36hrs | Views
WAR veterans' leader Jabulani Sibanda on Tuesday reportedly directed village heads in Lupane, Matabeleland North province, to instruct their subjects to burn MDC's party cards or face a "big fire" as it emerges the provincial Zanu-PF leadership supports his terror tactics, Newsday reported.
Sibanda, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association, descended on the province on Monday as the Zanu-PF shock-troops stormed the provincial capital to drum up support for President Robert Mugabe and his party ahead of polls.
After Sibanda's meeting with village heads, held at Makhovula Primary School in Gwampa's Ward 18 area, Zanu-PF militants raided the home of Ndamulani village head, Philani Ncube allegedly searching for MDC materials.
Maduna Ncube, Philani's brother, confirmed the raid, saying they were now living in fear of Sibanda and Zanu-PF supporters.
He said Philani had since gone into hiding, having fled his homestead with his family on Wednesday morning in apparent fear for his life.
"A single cab vehicle came to the Philani homestead at around 9pm and we heard people kicking at the doors shouting, saying 'where are the MDC cards and radios?," Ncube said. His homestead is next to the village head's.
A villager said they had been instructed to burn MDC cards and support Zanu-PF.
"We were told (by Sibanda) to instruct villagers to dig holes and burn MDC's party cards saying 'go away Satan'," a villager who requested anonymity said.
"He said we should whip villagers into line to support Zanu-PF or face a big fire. We were all left terrified."
Sibanda reportedly said he would launch a full-scale campaign in 10 days and villagers in the area said they were unsure what he meant.
Village heads said they were instructed to compile a list of all their subjects aged between 13 and 36 years and submit it to the local chapter of the war veterans' association.
However, Sibanda on Wednesday denied that he was leading a terror campaign, adding that he was only holding orientation meetings.
"These are not terror campaigns," he said. "I have not intimidated anyone, these were just orientation meetings. But I will be coming back to meet the villagers for more campaigns."
Sibanda, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association, descended on the province on Monday as the Zanu-PF shock-troops stormed the provincial capital to drum up support for President Robert Mugabe and his party ahead of polls.
After Sibanda's meeting with village heads, held at Makhovula Primary School in Gwampa's Ward 18 area, Zanu-PF militants raided the home of Ndamulani village head, Philani Ncube allegedly searching for MDC materials.
Maduna Ncube, Philani's brother, confirmed the raid, saying they were now living in fear of Sibanda and Zanu-PF supporters.
He said Philani had since gone into hiding, having fled his homestead with his family on Wednesday morning in apparent fear for his life.
"A single cab vehicle came to the Philani homestead at around 9pm and we heard people kicking at the doors shouting, saying 'where are the MDC cards and radios?," Ncube said. His homestead is next to the village head's.
"We were told (by Sibanda) to instruct villagers to dig holes and burn MDC's party cards saying 'go away Satan'," a villager who requested anonymity said.
"He said we should whip villagers into line to support Zanu-PF or face a big fire. We were all left terrified."
Sibanda reportedly said he would launch a full-scale campaign in 10 days and villagers in the area said they were unsure what he meant.
Village heads said they were instructed to compile a list of all their subjects aged between 13 and 36 years and submit it to the local chapter of the war veterans' association.
However, Sibanda on Wednesday denied that he was leading a terror campaign, adding that he was only holding orientation meetings.
"These are not terror campaigns," he said. "I have not intimidated anyone, these were just orientation meetings. But I will be coming back to meet the villagers for more campaigns."
Source - newsday
