Tsvangirai youths under siege as Mugabe youths replicate Boko Haram

The generally peaceful and serene high density suburb of Budiriro about fifteen kilometres south west of the Zimbabwe capital, Harare was yesterday turned into a battle field as marauding Zanu PF aligned militia groups terrorized residents in search of Tsvangirai youths who were on a charity mission in the vicinity.

The Harare Chapter of the MDC T Youth Assembly was on a drive to gather resources to assist the Muzarabani flood victims, the Grace Mugabe land grab victims and other disadvantaged persons when rogue Zanu PF descended upon them.

The whole idea was about gathering resources to argument and arrest the pathetic humanitarian crisis ensuing in the country. Harare Youth Chairman, Stanley Manyenga expressed shock at the barbaric behavior displayed by the Godfrey Gomwe led militias. Gomwe is claiming his space in the world of notoriety and is doing all in his power to exceed the atrocities committed by his unenviable predecessor, the infamous Jimu Kunaka.

According to Bridget Nyandoro, MDC T Harare Province Deputy Youth Spokesperson, hordes of thugs in trucks, mini buses, scotch carts and private cars invaded the township. Smelling of a strong alcohol reek and in a menacing manner, they harassed and mercilessly attacked any one in sight. The militias were carrying an assortment of weapons including but not limited to machetes, knives, sjamboks, bows and arrows, spears, catapults and iron bars with some openly brandishing loaded firearms.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a state security operative disclosed that Mnangagwa is battling to assert his control over the embattled political outfit. It is in the same breadth that he was wants to prove to Mugabe that he can continue with the hardliner stance and as such will continue to destroy and extinguish any democratic voices in the country. "The agenda to silence any opposition voice is a well calculated, coordinated and shall be well executed. The display of force in Budiriro is just a dress rehearsal of the real genocide to come. All sections of the security forces shall be involved in the discharge and execution of this mission. People must expect a long season turmoil as things are finally falling apart. The Tsvangirai led formation and some remnants of the Mujuru faction shall be uprooted to the core, "quipped our sources.

At the end of the day, several people were injured, many hospitalized with property worthy several thousands of dollars destroyed. All items donated by residents towards charity were looted by the raiding party which was supported by state security forces.

Joana Mamombe a student activist who had joined the drive charity drive to raise school fees for the underprividged spend the night in medical detention after suffering multiple injuries. Groaning from her hospital bed, she narrated the gruesome kidnap she had suffered at the hands of her captors who assaulted her and how she courageously fought and was later rescued by her fellow comrades. Being gang – raped was her greatest fear since the Zanu PF militia has perfected the art of infecting their victims with the deadly virus. "I remain committed to the cause of a New Zimbabwe. We are fighting for a just cause and nothing shall deter us from our resolve to free our motherland. We are being persecuted for seeking help for flood victims among other underprivileged persons in our country," declared Mamombe clearly battling tears.

Hon. Costa Machingauta, the Member of Parliament for the constituency was not spared the humiliation as he too suffered greatly at the hands of the thugs. The harassment, outright plunder and attack continued later in to the day with scores of MDC T youth being detained at the local police stations. A number of activists were not accounted for and a frantic search has since been launched. Deputy National Youth Organizer Yvonnne Musarurwa led a spirited campaign to negotiate the release and welfare of injured and detained comrades. The Provincial secretary, Denford Ngadziore soldiered on despite the pain and fatigue as he tried his best to account for and regroup the scattered activists.

Many organizations within Zimbabwe have condemned the state sponsored violence on a defenseless citizenry especially when they are on a charity mission. The MDC T National Youth Assembly Chairman Happymore Bvondo Chidziva warned the regime against brutality. Speaking with pain whilst on his way to hospital to visit the injured, he implored Zanu PF to respect the rights of the people and stop the planned violence. "Now Zanu PF has the money to finance thugs whose job is to fight ordinary citizens when people are suffering in Muzarabani. Ours was a drive by our comrades in Harare to gather items to help the flood victims but they have now looted everything and at the same time maiming people and property. It would have been wise if they could have used the same fuel to help flood victims. Our teams are found everywhere helping where there is a crisis. We sent a team to help in Mazowe and Muzarabani but these thugs are simply fighting against the good of Zimbabwe. Our youths are disciplined and we have done much in our communities at a time Zanu PF is busy training militias to destabilize the country, "bemoaned Bvondo.

Dr. Wangu Mazodze is MDC T South Africa Spokesperson and here he writes as an eyewitness to brutality.