Lawlessness and reign of terror returns

MDC press statement

The MDC is shocked to the core that Zanu–PF, having clamored and agitated for an election for so long that most of us were almost fooled into believing that they were at last ready to give the people of Zimbabwe a free, fair and violence free election would then go on to callously unleash a reign of terror and lawlessness reminiscent of the 2000 and 2008 election periods on individuals who choose to belong to other political parties.

It is now clear that they never wanted an election but just another opportunity to terrorize the people of Zimbabwe as they have started to do. The last few weeks have witnessed a systematic resurgence of violence and intimidation which leads us to one conclusion, that it will not be possible to conduct a free and fair election.

Last Saturday, Mzondiwa Njanjeni a member of the MDC from ward 19 in the Vungu constituency was pulled out of a church service, handcuffed, thrown into a car without number plates, driven to his house, assaulted, kicked around and accused of being a recruiter for the MDC. The four men who claimed to be CIO then demanded the details of other party members in the area. They were led by a man only identified as Mandizha, a Zanu–PF official in Gweru, previously a member of the District Coordinating Committee there. This group returned to Mr Njanjeni's homestead on Wednesday, handcuffed and beat him up again and threatened that if he did not identify for them MDC people in the area he would be made to disappear. In handcuffs they took him to a plot occupied by another MDC member Sifelani Dube who was not at home at the time.

They found his wife, one Thembinkosi Ncube whom they assaulted and threatened, demanding to know the whereabouts of her husband. They then purported to give her notice of eviction and that the family should vacate the plot by midday yesterday or face being taken to the local dam, killed and dumped there. They then left with Njanjeni still in handcuffs and dumped him at his home. As a result of this intimidation, the Sifelanis have fled from their home. Incidentally the group of men was said to be drunk as they reeked of alcohol.

We believe that these criminals are in fact not CIO officers but known Zanu–PF youths in the Gweru province who previously trained as militias.

On Wednesday the 27th of February another group of Zanu–PF youths driving in an unmarked metallic grey vehicle arrived at Dawson farm (A2 resettlement area) homestead to drop off their colleague Tendi Chingende, a Zanu–PF official who resides in the main house of the homestead.

After dropping Chingende off, they went to his neighbor Bernard Lusina Dube's homestead who is an MDC supporter and dragged him out of his homestead, handcuffed, stripped naked, severely assaulted him and robbed him of his entire clothing, cash on his person and cellphone. After beating him they left him for dead. He suffered severe injuries on his head and face which are as we speak very swollen.

All these victims were threatened with death if they dared to report the assaults to the police. The MDC has reported the matter to JOMIC and other relevant authorities.

The MDC condemns in the strongest terms this violation to the basic rights and freedoms of Zimbabweans. We demand that President Mugabe who has preached peace and who has been appealing to his supporters to resist and stop all violence, must now go beyond rhetoric and take action against the members of his party responsible for intimidation and violence, otherwise we will take it that his calls for peace are insincere and hypocritical.

He must equally as commander in chief of the armed forces ensure that the police begin to apply the law firmly and impartially against all perpetrators of intimidation and violence without fear or favor.

Nhlanhla Dube
MDC Spokesperson