Aspiring councillor attacked, hut burnt down

Zanu-PF secretary for the commissariat for Mutaradundu district and an aspiring councillor in Chiweshe communal lands have had one hut each burnt down by suspected MDC-T activists which resulted in them losing property worth a combined US$3 000.

This comes as the MDC-T continues to instigate violence against supporters of Zanu-PF in a bid to discredit the harmonised elections on July 31 so that they receive negative reports. The arson, which is politically motivated, occurred on Tuesday last week in the Kanhukamwe area under Chief Negomo.

The attacks on Zanu-PF supporters came barely a month after two more homesteads belonging to Zanu-PF chairperson for Rutope district Anatolia Muondoka in Musana communal lands were burnt by MDC-T supporters.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said they were investigating the two cases of political violence in Chiweshe.

"Police in Mashonaland Central province are investigating two cases in which Zanu-PF secretary of the commissariat for Mutaradundu district Howard Gatsi and John Mudzonga, Zanu-PF aspiring councillor for Ward 9 lost property worth thousands of dollars in suspected cases of arson," Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba urged all people to refrain from engaging in political violence ahead of the elections.

"The police will be on alert as we approach the forthcoming harmonised elections on July 31," Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.

"Those who seek to tarnish the image of the nation by engaging in illegal activities will be severely dealt with within the dictates of the law."

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said in one of the cases at Mudzonga's homestead, his wife Cathrine Chidari was sitting with her family inside the hut when she discovered that it had been set on fire. "The complainant managed to escape unhurt and saved some of her property with the help of neighbours," she said.

Mudzonga telephoned Gatsi about the incident and he decided to come over to help.

While on his way and after walking for about one kilometre, Gatsi looked back and discovered that a hut had been set ablaze at his homestead.

In an interview at his homestead, Mudzonga said the thugs had attacked his homestead the previous day, but he managed to put out the fire. "They returned on Tuesday night around 9pm and set my other kitchen on fire," he said. "All my food, maize and other valuables were burnt down to ashes as we failed to put out the fire.

"They were threatening that they would start to deal with village heads and then all prominent Zanu-PF activists in the area. But we have organised ourselves and we are on high alert."

Mudzonga said they advised party supporters not to retaliate.

Gatsi said he suspected that MDC-T activits were responsible for the fire.

"When Mudzonga called me informing me that his hut had been set on fire and I went out to assist him put out the fire, I then discovered that my house was also on fire," he said.

"By the time we rushed back it was too late. The hut was razed and property and maize that was inside was destroyed."

No one was injured in both incidents.

MDC-T has unleashed a wave of intra- and inter-party political violence to trash the political environment in a bid to call for poll postponement and provide fodder for its Western allies to discredit the poll.

The party's terror campaign began last year, but was intensified from January, with nearly 50 cases being recorded countrywide since the beginning of the year.