Zanu-PF activists threatening Mahoka

OUTSPOKEN former Zanu-PF MP for Hurungwe East, Sarah Mahoka, has accused State security agents and ruling party activists of calling her at odd hours and threatening to harm her after she defected to the opposition National Patriotic Front (NPF).

Mahoka told NewsDay yesterday that Zanu-PF members were also destroying NPF campaign material, including posters, and ordering her supporters to dump her ahead of the July 30 polls.

"I reported the matter at Karoi Police Station yesterday (Monday). Some Zanu-PF supporters have been calling me and threatening my supporters. They have openly told me that they want to burn my warehouses to destroy my maize grain, which they claimed I am using for campaign purposes," she said.

"This is the second time. They once threatened to destroy all my cattle with the belief that if I become poor, I will rejoin Zanu-PF. Most people are now living in fear in Hurungwe East."

Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Ziyambi Ziyambi said he was unaware of the incident and urged Mahoka to report the matter to the police.

"President (Emmerson) Mnangagwa is on record saying we want free and fair elections. We don't want violence and we encourage Mahoka to report them to the police because there could be some people hiding behind the name of the party to perpetrate violence and they should be brought to book," he said.

Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Clemence Mabweazara yesterday said he was yet to receive a report on the Mahoka case.

Several opposition MDC-T activists in the area have also raised similar complaints with the party's Chirundu district chairperson, Lovemore Kwanda, accusing police of being reluctant to arrest the alleged Zanu-PF perpetrators.