MDC-T youths warn Zanu-PF

MDC youths, still smarting from last week's bloody skirmishes with the authorities, have warned their Zanu-PF counterparts against perpetrating violence by promising they will respond aggressively to harassment and bloodletting which has been blamed on the former liberation movement supporters by peace-building and rights monitoring groups.

This comes as there is resurgence of violence and fresh harassment of people suspected to be loyal to the opposition by terror gangs claiming to be Zanu-PF youths.

MDC national youth assembly chairperson Happymore Chidziva yesterday declared that  opposition youths will defend their parents against attacks.

"I have always said  that no one has exclusive rights on violence, we have said again Zanu-PF  has no monopoly over violence so we can't remain victims of violence, we are ready for whatever it takes by all means necessary we  shall defend the people," Chidziva told the Daily News.

"Actually, I am collecting all names and profiles of notorious Zanu-PF thugs and murderers so that when we become government, the law  will be allowed to take its course".

Chidziva said youths were angry as they felt let down by Zanu-PF, which he accused of failing to deliver the 2,2 million fresh jobs it promised during the run-up to the 2013 elections.

According to successive monthly reports by rights groups such as Heal Zimbabwe Trust and the Zimbabwe Peace Project on political violations, Zanu-PF  has continuously dominated the perpetrators list, often with no action being taken against them by authorities.

Reports of ruling party terror groups have  emanated from Kwekwe where the notorious "Al Shabaab" group is reportedly on the prowl, harassing residents and traders.

The group, named after the Somali-based terrorist affiliate of  Al-Qaeda fighting to turn the country into a fundamentalist Islamic State, has been blamed for much of the intra and inter-party political violence in the Midlands  Province.

At the same time, vendors and residents in Harare's  Mbare suburb are reportedly being terrorised by members of the Chipangano terror group.

The group is allegedly led by Zanu-PF  youth chairperson for ward 4, Kuda Mavhura, and provincial chairperson for youths, Edson Takataka.

Takataka has, however, denied the allegations saying "I do not know what is happening exactly and I am yet to receive reports to that effect".

An international think-tank, the United States Centre for Preventive Action (CPA) warned  last month that Zimbabwe risks plunging into violence even before the  crunch 2018 polls.