Muchechetere wades into Zanu-PF DCC violence saga

NEWLY-CONSTITUTED Zanu-PF Veterans of the Liberation Struggle League (ZVLSL) Mashonaland West provincial chairperson, Happison Muchechetere has waded into the factional fights that have engulfed the party's Makonde district coordinating committee (DCC).

Addressing a Zanu-PF Zvimba North inter-district weekend meeting held at Kamwaza Hall in Raffingora, Muchechetere said war veterans were deeply dismayed by the mayhem rocking Makonde DCC led by Kindness Paradza, who is also Information Deputy Minister.

"What is happening in some areas like Makonde cannot be tolerated. We as war veterans will come to fix it. If we hear of any youth who continues committing offences we will not hesitate to deal with them, we won't let them do as they please," said Muchechetere.

Last weekend, during a Makonde DCC crisis meeting, a named youth leader reportedly confronted Paradza and pointed a finger accusing him of failing to lead the organ.

"What we watch on social media pains us as war veterans, seeing youths, after being offered alcohol, dare point fingers at the chairman in public. A chairman of the party?

"Some break bottles saying ‘we want to fight'. Do you know war? If you have an appetite for violence we can take you to Mozambique where there is real war so that you appreciate real war."

Added the former ZBC chief executive; "We implore youths to uphold the party ideology to respect elders, even the Bible and clergyman say ‘respect your father and mother so that your days on Earth are multiplied.'"

Muchechetere's comment comes after police in Chinhoyi last week arrested four Zanu-PF activists who later appeared in court for alleged involvement in intra-party violence that broke out recently leading to the firing of tear-smoke to disperse hordes of rampaging party functionaries.

Two of the arrested activists, Simbarashe Guvheya (40) and Zivanai Busai (37) are loyal to Paradza.

The female pair of Ruth Chikukwa (40) and Miriam Mudoti (42) popularly known as ‘Boko Haram' was also dragged to court jointly facing public violence charges.

The quartet is out on a $10 000 bail each after Chinhoyi magistrate Tapiwa Banda quashed investigating officer, Detective Assistant Inspector Newten Musende's affidavit opposing bail arguing public violence was a serious offence that attracted custodial sentences if accused persons were convicted.

The state case is that on 8 May 2021 at Chinhoyi Public Service Training Centre, Chikukwa and Mudoti and their accomplices, who are still at large, were at the venue where Zanu-PF was holding a sanctioned meeting.

Guvheya and Busai and their accomplices, who are also still at large, arrived at the venue while aboard a black Zanu-PF vehicle inscribed "Makonde Constituency" and belonging to Paradza.

When the activists met, a misunderstanding broke out between them and a fight ensued with the belligerents using various weapons which included beer bottles, stones, sticks and iron bars.

Upon arrest, the activists exchanged accusations over who caused the skirmishes.

Paradza has courted controversy within the party for allegedly shielding youth secretary Ketty Chanetsa from sanctions for alleged misdeeds.

Chanetsa, whom Paradza seeks to protect, was recently barred from attending the organ's inaugural meeting held at the same venue for being a "G40 sell-out."

She is accused of leaking party information to South African-based social media personality Gugu Ncube a.k.a "Dr Amai", who in turn allegedly uses it to denigrate the party and its leadership through social media platforms.

Chanetsa also faces charges of fomenting divisions, holding unsanctioned meetings, gossiping, maligning and blackmailing senior party leaders.

She is also accused of faking her abduction by party colleagues during the emotive DCC elections last December, thereby putting the party's name into disrepute.