Zanu-PF, ZimPF wrangle ahead of Bikita poll

Zanu-PF and the Joice Mujuru-led Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) opposition party are trading accusations over violence ahead of the Bikita West by-election.

While six candidates have successfully filed their papers at the Nomination Court that sat at the Masvingo Magistrates' Court, the main battle is between the ruling party's women's league provincial executive member Beauty Chabaya and ZPF's Kudakwashe Gopo.

The constituency - a political hotbed where gruesome violence erupted ahead of a by-election in 2001 - was previously held by incarcerated Zanu-PF rapist, Munyaradzi Kereke.

The ruling party is accusing ZPF Masvingo interim chairperson Claudius Makova, a former Zanu-PF provincial executive member, of unleashing violence against its supporters.

Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial political commissar Jappy Jaboon accused a police officer, he claimed was a ZPF member, of being violent towards Zanu-PF supporters.

"A police constable based at Nyika Police Station tore a Zanu-PF T-shirt in front of people at Nyika Bus Terminus shouting unprintable words and denouncing Zanu-PF," he claimed, adding that "the officer is a strong ZPF supporter and was in a meeting today (Tuesday) at Makova's house where ZPF candidate (Gopo) stays. The police officer also intimidated the provincial youth chairman Norbert Ndaarombe."

"Makova is naturally a violent person from the time he has been in Zanu-PF," Jaboon said.

"He is frustrated, realising that many people who were recruited to ZPF no longer like Mujuru's party. His party has nothing to offer to the people and hundreds of people who had joined ZPF are now crossing the floor back to their mother party, Zanu-PF," he said.

However, Makova came out guns blazing, saying his former party had run out of strategies to win an election.

"Zanu-PF started its terror campaign when (Zanu-PF political commissar Saviour) Kasukuwere and (politburo member Josiah) Hungwe visited the area. During that time, our supporters were beaten in ward 10," he claimed.

"Zanu-PF also brutalised a pregnant women," he said, adding that the President Robert Mugabe-led party was "panicking (and) they don't know what to do to win this election".

Makova also savaged Jaboon, labelling him a "young boy in politics".

"He knows that I am his father . . . we know politics. Look, when I was still in Zanu-PF, I was the king maker of Bikita as a whole, so do you think we can fail to win . . .?" he asked.

Makova further claimed that; "I am the one who made Chibaya to have a position in Masvingo provincial women's league executive and she is also my relative. I can't unleash violence against my sister's daughter".

"Zanu-PF is using chiefs to intimidate people but people are now tired, they want something better.

"Even if they rig this coming election, we are going to win. They are beating people but they want to accuse us. Ask them to bring evidence," he said.  

Recently, Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa threatened to unleash violence in the constituency against anti-Zanu-PF supporters.

She told party supporters who gathered at Gwindingwi Primary School on Wednesday last week to vote "wisely" or else suffer the consequences.

"Haa, munozviziva, muno hamusi mekutamba namo (You all know it. This is not a constituency to play silly games). Kune vamwe vakatsakatika muno umu gore riya, munoriziva. Handei tinovhota zvakanaka. (There are some who disappeared in this constituency as you know. Let us go and vote wisely)," she bellowed.

Meanwhile, other candidates contesting in the by-election are National Constitutional Assembly's spokesperson Madock Chivasa, Terence Makumbo of little-known Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe (PDZ), independent candidate Innocent Muzvimbiri and former Bikita West legislator Heya Shoko, who will also stand as an independent.