Provincial highlights of political instability in the country ahead of by elections

The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has released provincial highlights of the March April period concerning the political instability in the country as the nations gears towards the June 10 by elections.

In Mashonaland West ZPP said violence transformed the political landscape in Hurungwe West where a by election has been set for 10 June 2015. The violence was mainly perpetrated against supporters and suspected sympathizers of former Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa who was dismissed from Zanu-PF.  Temba Mliswa is contesting as an independent candidate against Zanu-PF candidate Keith Guzah.

"On 12 April 2015 Temba Mliswa was arrested at Sengwe business centre and allegedly charged with disrupting the ruling party's meeting," ZPP said. "He was arrested together with former Zanu-PF Harare Province youth Chair Jim Kunaka, Prosper Gavanga, Munyaradzi Mugoneza and Farai Kuvheya. On 26 April 2015 five village heads were assaulted by Zanu-PF youths and leaders from Zvimba. The youths had accompanied Minister Ignatius Chombo to a meeting at  Nyamhunga Primary school."

ZPP said Phillip Chiyangwa the only Zanu-PF candidate to lose a seat in Mashonaland West to MDC-T in 2013 elections has been identified as one of the people who assaulted the headmen suspected of supporting Temba Mliswa. Some headmen then lost their positions on accusations that they supported the former legislator.

"The violence in Hurungwe West has been widespread and openly organized to such a scale as to lay bare deeper patterns of abuse of office by senior ruling party officials," said ZPP. "Minister Chombo who is reported to have been present did not stop the youths from assaulting the traditional leaders. On 30 April Chief Nyamhunga replaced the village heads, one notable one is Headman Alick Mangisi who was replaced by his brother Clever Munava Mangisi. Two of the fired headmen fled from the area in fear of reprisals. The events in Hurungwe West have demonstrated the pervasive role of violence in Zimbabwean political contests and the fact that structures of violence are only dormant and can be easily activated. The violence in Hurungwe West was perpetrated by gangs whose members are openly recruited and financed by senior public officials and party officials."

ZPP said in April farm workers at Spring farm in Karoi which belongs to former MP

Mliswa sustained serious injuries when they were assaulted by Zanu-PF youths who invaded the farm.

"The injured workers had to be hospitalized. The violence experienced in Hurungwe West discourages and prevents political participation and plays a central role in denying ordinary citizens a constitutionally guranteed right to vote freely," said ZPP. "In Midlands in a case demonstrating a violation of the constitution, on 4 April 2015, a female MDC T activist in Mando village in Vungu, Midlands was nearly expelled from the village by Headman Nyathi Sipo for her active participation in opposition politics. The victim was called by the Headman and verbally reprimanded and warned never to be involved in opposition politics in the village."

ZPP said on 15 April 2015 an MDC T supporter in Mbizo Kwekwe was verbally harassed by Thembinkosi Sibanda of Zanu-PF party after he refused to contribute a $1 towards the independence celebrations.

In Mashonaland Central ZPP said In another case, in Muzarabani South a headman was accused of being an MDC-T member and threatened with eviction from Ward 17 by members of Zanu-PF district committee James Viega and Tafirenyika Mahau.

"On 10 April 2015 an artisanal miner was chased away from Kitsiyatota in Bindura for failing to pay $1 for independence celebrations. She indicated her failure to pay the money as she had not been paid at the processing mill but was instead accused of being an MDC-T member by Tawanda Matangira and Alouis Ruwizhu.

Due to factionalism in Zanu-PF, some members who were considered as gamatox were denied access to fertilizer on 11 April 2015 at Gandamera community hall in Ward 15, Concession, Mashonaland Central. The people who were denied fertilizer were 15 and the perpetrators were Ward 15 Councillor Peter Chinyoka and an activist identified as Nzaka," said ZPP.

In Mashonaland East the organisation said Zanu-PF intra party conflict has been protracted in Mashonaland East as has been evidenced by the inability of the province to establish a permanent provincial committee.

"Aeneas Chigwedere the Acting Provincial Chair and his committee were suspended in April 2015," said ZPP. "The suspension was shortlived as the Zanu-PF political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere nullified it. It is alleged that Chigwedere's downfall was triggered by the poor turnout at a rally addressed by the Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa at Chigwedere Centre in Hwedza North on 11 April 2015. There were less than 500 people in attendance and yet 5 wards were expected to attend."

ZPP said the opposition MDC-T is reported to have experienced intra party violence on 18 April 2015 in Ward 4 Ruwa, Goromonzi South where a former Councillor was assaulted by Davison Chamisa and Pepukai Gwangwari.

"Factions have developed in the area as the party prepares for 2018 elections. The assaulted Councilor was against the campaign for Shadow MP Milton Mhene as he supports Wilfred Tanga as the 2018 candidate. The difference in choice of candidates led to violence which left the victim with minor injuries that were treated at Ruwa rehabilitation hospital while the perpetrators were detained at a police station and released after a day,": said the organisation.

In Bulawayo ZPP said  on 6 April 2015 in Luveve a Zanu-PF youth and aspiring candidate for Luveve constituency was threatened with unspecified action by fellow party members led by Zanu-PF district women's league chairperson Mrs Moyo Ngwabi who also wanted to be the party candidate.

"The aspiring candidate of the ruling party was insulted, harassed and intimidated and advised not to challenge "elders" said ZPP. "In Harare on 23 April 2015 Budiriro Member of Parliament Costa Machingauta along with ten other activists including Rhodrick Kahuni, Ethel Edward and Handsome Nyoni were viciously attacked by suspected Zanu-PF supporters with fists and iron bars. So severe was the attack that MP Machingauta had to be hospitalized. On 25 April 2015 in Budiriro a house belonging to Zanu-PF Harare youth league Chair, Godwin Gomwe, was petrol-bombed by unknown assailants. It is however noted that no arrests were made in the Costa Machingauta assault case but three suspected MDC T supporters were arrested in connection with the petrol bombing of Godfrey Gomwe's house."

ZPP said on 26 April 2015 a mob of almost 1000 Zanu-PF supporters stormed St Mary's Anglican Church in Chitungwiza during worship and blocked the congregation from leaving the building for over three hours.

"The Zanu-PF youths demanded that the vicar turn over to them a nearby plot of land owned by the church. The grouphad reportedly invaded the open piece of land and went on to subdivide the land into residential stands for party members.The land, which measures about 82 hectares, is located between St Mary's Police Station and Chikwanha business centre," ZPP said. "The actions by the youths were illegal; Section 71 of the Zimbabwean Constitution stipulates that no person may be compulsorily deprived of their property.

Matebeleland North In Simangani Rural District Council(RDC) Ward 10, at Makwa Irrigation Scheme two NGOs assisted villagers with farm inputs and the villagers then invited Arex officer Mrs Skeever Ndlovu and Farming officer Mrs Ndiweni to come and teach them. As the meeting was in progress, Zanu-PF activists

Promise Dube, Simon Nkomazana, Sibusiso Ncube, EuginiaMbwende and Beauty Mpofu and others disrupted the meeting claiming everyone had to join Zanu-PF to be able to access any food aid or relief program. They declared even education support or medical treatment at local clinics would be accessed by Zanu-PF members only."

In Mashonaland Central Province ZPP said  on April 2015 in Nyamazizi in Mt Darwin East, Zanu attend a Zanu-PF meeting because they had been allocated fertilizer known MDC-T members were forced to the perpetrators were Sugar Rombo.

"Reported Food Violations in Nekati and Chitunhu villages in Bindura North people were on 16 April 2015 forced by local Zanu-PF leaders to pay money as contributions to the independence celebrations," said ZPP. "The Zanu-PF local leadersargued that those who did not pay would be viewed as MDCT members and were going to be dealt with in 2018. During the Independence Day celebrations on 18 April 2015, MDC-T members were denied food, these included some people who had paid. The perpetrators said Zanu-PF people should be fed first."

ZPP said in a separate but similar case on 18 April 2015 MDC-T members were denied food at the independence gathering at Muonwe Township even w they paid the contributions to buy the food. The perpetrators were Mavis Zirimwe, Abraham Mhembere and Manase Tsunda.

The organisation said in Mashonaland West on 24 April at Chirinhengo in Chegutu East the Zanu-PF Chairperson Maria Sinyoro of Ward 18 was naccused of allocating fertilizer to people who had left the ward in 2000 to settle in Ward 22.

"The people were not happy and were harassing him especially First Moffat and she had to be taken away by Councilor Gladys Kanhema," said ZPP. "During the Independence Day celebrations in Mhondoro Mubaira the food meant to feed the people was just eaten by a few people. The village heads were not allowed in the VIP area and they were denied food. It is alleged that the local Zanu-PF executives looted the food that had been donated by legislator Sylvester Nguni.

Matebeleland North The province is not expecting any meaningful harvest and therefore the food situation remains critical. People need urgent food relief to alleviate unprecedented levels of hunger. Although food is available in shops, it is out of reach of many as they do not have money to buy the food. Tsholotsho became a hive of activity as campaigning was started by Professor Jonathan Moyo's team. Rice, cooking oil and other food stuffs were being distributed freely particularly in Ward 11 in a clear case of vote buying."

In Matebeleland South ZPP said the province was hard hit by drought and is in urgent need of food aid. People have no money to buy food from shops or other sources.

In Midlands ZPP said  Food aid programs are yet to commence as people are currently harvesting the few crops that managed to mature.

"On 30 April 2015 a village head of Mhaza village, Gokwe Mapfungautsi who is a staunch supporter of the MDC T refused to give a bag of fertilizer to Takesure Dude of the same village because the victim supports Zanu-PF," said ZPP. "The fertilizer had been availed through the presidential input scheme and the distribution was done by the village Head. When the victim asked why he had not accessed his share, the headman said that those that had failed to access the fertilizer would be on top priority at the next distribution whose date is not known."

In Manicaland ZPP said Christopher Chingosho the Zanu-PF candidate for Headlands on 29 April 2015 availed 30 tonnes of rice during his campaign meetings. The availing of the rice at a time such as this can be interpreted as vote buying.

"The rice was stored at Headlands Hall while the other lot was at Headlands Service Station," said ZPP.

In Bulawayo Bulawayo ZPP said the province is hard hit by poverty as over eight percent are unemployed. Peri-urban farming was negatively affected by erratic rains and residents are in urgent need of food aid.