Recorded violations since March 2011
Below is a list of some of the violations that were recorded by the MDC since March this year. No arrests have been made in cases of known perpetrators, while scores of MDC supporters have been arrested, prosecuted and detained on frivolous charges.
01 March 2011
Rosemary Munetsi, Ward 27 councillor in Mutasa Central, Solomon Mutizawafa, Stanley Saruwaka, Tendai Fore, Lloyd Nyamutsika and Brian Nyabereka who were remanded in custody by a Mutare magistrate are granted a US$20 bail each.
01 March 2011
Patrick Kamanga, 26, who was abducted and assaulted by Zanu PF thugs at a torture base on Monday, was released that evening following police’s intervention. Working on a tip-off, Mbare’s Matapi police officers made a follow up, tracking down the thugs to their base in Mbare. However, no arrests were made.
02 March 2011
Munyaradzi Shoko, 27, the son to Chitungwiza South MP, Hon. Misheck Shoko is assaulted at night assaulted by six men some in army uniform in Unit G, Chitungwiza accsuing him why he had snubbed the Zanu PF anti-restrictive measures event held in Harare earlier that day. Munyaradzi received treatment at Chitungwiza General Hospital and made a report at Makoni Police Station.
03 March 2011
Paul Siwela, John Gazi and Charles Thomas of Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF) are arrested for distributing fliers calling for the secession of Matebeleland region from the whole of Zimbabwe and are charged with treason.
03 March 2011
Munyaradzi Gwisai and 45 human rights activists who are in remand prison are attended to by private doctors at the Harare Remand Prison.
07 March 2011
The High Court appeal by Nyanga North MP, Hon. Douglas Mwonzora and 25 other MDC members challenging their further detention at Mutare Remand Prison is postponed to Wednesday after some of the appeal papers were found missing.
09 March 2011
Seven Nehumambi, the MDC Sunningdale District Youth Assembly chairperson is abducted and assaulted by rowdy Zanu PF youths before he was dumped at Matapi Police Station where he is detained with no charges laid against him. Nehumambi was abducted at Granville Cemetery and assaulted by visibly drunk Zanu PF youths from Mbare at the burial of a Zanu PF youth, Taurai Dzikamai.
09 March 2011
MDC Deputy Treasurer – General and Energy and Power Development Minister Hon. Elton Mangoma is arrested at his government offices by three plain clothes police officers.
09 March 2011
Mazowe Central MP Hon Shepherd Mushonga is arrested in Chiweshe on charges of stealing quarry stones.
09 March 2011
Gokwe – Kabuyuni MP, Costin Muguti is arrested in Gokwe on allegations of threatening to attack Chief Samuel Samambwa of Zhombe. Another MP, Rodgers Tazviona is at Kwekwe Remand Prison facing the same charges.
10 March 2011
MDC Deputy Treasurer General and Energy and Power Development Minister, Hon. Elton Mangoma is remanded in custody on forged corruption charges. He was indicted by the State to stand trial on 28 March on charges of abusing public office.
11 March 2011
Nyanga North MP Hon. Douglas Mwonzora and 23 MDC members are granted a US$50 bail each at the High Court. They were arrested last month and are facing trumped – up political violence charges. They are ordered to report once a week at Nyanga Police Station.
11 March 2011
Mazowe Central MP Hon. Shepherd Mushonga who was arrested last night is granted a US$50 bail by a Bindura magistrate. He is facing charges of digging and stealing quarry stones in Chiweshe from a Zanu PF councillor. The councillor claimed that the stones were worth US$700.
13 March 2011
Ten MDC youth activists are arrested by more than 20 police officers outside Harvest House, the MDC head office. They are detained at Harare Central Police Station.
14 March 2011
Harare South District Police bar the MDC from holding a People’s Peace Rally on 19 March 2011 at the Zimbabwe Grounds claiming the ground is booked for the whole by Zanu PF.
15 March 2011
The 10 MDC members who were arrested on Sunday night at the MDC headquarters, Harvest House are still remanded in custody at the Harare Central Police Station. They are facing false charges of assaulting an unidentified person. Today the 10 went through a police parade but no one was identified as the assailant.
15 March 2011
Hon. Elton Mangoma, the MDC Deputy Treasurer – General and Energy and Power Development Minister who was arrested last week on charges of abusing public office is granted a US$5 000 bail by Justice Samuel Kudya. The State opposed bail alleging the minister was a flight risk and would interfer with State witnesses. The judge dismissed the State’s claims saying the State had no tangible facts to warrant Hon. Mangoma’s conviction.
15 March 2011
Five MDC activists, Paul Mawadza, Zivanai Chimbudzi, Freedom Kanjira, Chamunorwa Mukoto and Andrew Nyabasa are granted a US$50 bail each by a Nyanga magistrate. They were arrested last month on political violence charges in Nyanga North.
15 March 2011
Try Karedza, the Mt Darwin North district MDC Youth Assembly chairperson is abducted by seven armed men in police uniform and taken to Nyanguwu near the Zimbabwe’s border with Mozambique where he was blinded folded and severely assaulted. The unidentified men, driving in a white truck, later left him unconsicious. After recovering, Karedza sought assistance from some good Samaritans who took him to Bindura where he is seeking medical attention.
15 March 2011
In Chiredzi South, Cephas Magezani of Ward 7, Chikombedzi manages to escape abduction after four unidentified men attempted to kidnap him at gunpoint at his home.
16 March 2011
Harare Central District Police bar the MDC from holding its People’s Peace Rally at Glamis Stadium on 19 March 2011claiming Zanu PF would hold a similar rally 500m away from the venue.
16 March 2011
Two MDC activists, Taona Chikono and Oliver Mukombwe from Chipadze in Bindura are arrested on forged charges of assaulting one Last Siraya. They are detained at Bindura Central Police Station.
16 March 2011
The 10 MDC youth activists who were arrested outside Harvest House on Sunday are released from custody with no charges laid against them as the police said they could not locate the alleged complainant.
16 March 2011
Harare Magistrate Archie Wochiunga dismisses the State case against Professor Lovemore Madhuku, who had been summoned to appear in court for trial in a matter that occurred in 2004. He had received other summons to answer cases on allegations that arose in 2006 relating to public gatherings.
The summons for the 2004 case showed that he was alleged to have violated Section 26(5) of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). When he appeared in court the State papers revealed that he was facing charges of violating Section 26(11) of POSA. Lawyers made an application for dismissal of the case as their client was not properly before the court.
They argued that the state prosecutor was bringing in a new charge for which the Professor had not been summoned to appear in court. Magistrate Wochiunga dismissed the State case, ruling that Professor Madhuku was not properly before the court and the state should proceed by way of proper summons.
17 March 2011
The MDC files an application at the magistrates’ courts against the police decision to bar the MDC from holding a People’s Peace Rally at Glamis Stadium.
18 March 2011
Magistrate Mercy Chimbodza upholds the police decision barring the MDC from holding its People’s Peace Rally at Glamis Stadium.
18 March 2011
The MDC files an urgent High Court application against a ruling at the magistrates’ courts barring the MDC from holding a People’s Peace Rally at Glamis Stadium, Harare.
19 March 2011
High Court Judge, Justice George Chiweshe dismisses the MDC’s urgent court application with costs. Reasons to follow.
25 March 2011
Hon. Elton Mangoma is rearrested for the second time in two weeks and is remanded in custody after being indicted for trial at the High Court on 18 July. He is facing trumped up charges of abusing public office.
25 March 2011
Thirteen MDC activists from Zaka district, Masvingo province have been arraigned before the courts facing charges of public violence and the murder of a Zanu PF activist, Antony Masava, in the run-up to the bloody June 27 2008 runoff elections. Masava from Ward 21 in Zaka was found dead with his body badly bruised near his homestead on June 13 2008.
The 13 appeared before Zaka resident magistrate Godfrey Gogo on Friday. They were further remanded out of custody to March 29. Their lawyer Martin Mureri of Matutu, Kwirira and Associates said his clients’ trial failed to commence despite the fact that they had been coming to court since 2008.
31 March 2011
High Court Judge Nicholas Ndou quashes Magistrate Gideon Ruwetsa’s ruling denying bail to Bulawayo resident Vikas Mavhudzi, who is charged with subverting a government by unconstitutional means. Mavhudzi was arrested in Bulawayo last month for reportedly expressing his approval of the protests in Egypt that led to the resignation of Hosni Mubarak as president.
31 March 2011
High Court Judge Justice Nicholas Ndou quashes Magistrate Gideon Ruwetsa’s ruling denying bail to Bulawayo resident Vikas Mavhudzi, who is charged with subverting a government by unconstitutional means. Justice Ndou’s setting aside of Magistrate Ruwetsa’s ruling came after Mavhudzi’s lawyers appealed to the High Court challenging Magistrate Ruwetsa’s decision to deny Mavhudzi bail.
06 April 2011
Armed riot police assaulted MDC supporters attending a memorial service at the Warren Hills Cemetery in Harare. Teargas was used on the crowd, without any provocation or warning. The incident took place just after President Morgan Tsvangirai addressed the crowd at the cemetery and food was about to be served. The memorial was to honour five MDC activists, Tonderai Ndira, Better Chokururama, Cain Nyevhe, Godfrey Kauzani and Abigail Chiroto who were murdered by Zanu PF and State agents during the violent 2008 election period.
08 April 2011
Police in Mutare charge Nyanga North and Constitution Select Committee (COPAC) chairperson, Hon. Douglas Mwonzora with undermining the authority of or insulting the President for allegedly enquiring on the health status of Mugabe. Police recorded a warned and cautioned statement from Hon. Mwonzora after he reported at Mutare Central Police Station in the company of his lawyer David Tandiri.
Hon. Mwonzora had been summoned by the police earlier in the week. The police are alleging that Hon. Mwonzora said; “Makadii baba? Iri sei mwiri? Riri sei ziso?” The police translated this to mean “How are you father? How is your health? How is your eye?”
09 April 2011
Riot police bar congregants from entering St Peters School in Highfield for the Prayer for Peace church service, which had been organised by Save Zimbabwe. Later in the day the police disrupted the church service at Nazarene Church in Glen Norah, which had been chosen as an alternative venue. Teargas was fired into the church and the residential area and congregates; residents and children are indiscriminately assaulted. Thirteen are arrested.
11 April 2011
Witness Dube, the personal driver of Vice President Thokozani Khupe is rearrested in Bulawayo and dragged to court on charges of public violence. He was arrested together with two other MDC members, Lloyd Chamboko and Ntongehle Mhlanga. They were granted a US$50 bail each by Magistrate Ndumo Masuku and the matter was postponed to April 29.
A week before, Dube had been arrested on allegations of denouncing the Zanu PF’s anti – sanctions campaign petition and spent five days in custody before being released on bail.
13 April 2011
Glen View South MP, Hon. Paul Madzore appears at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts facing false charges of assaulting a police officer in 2006. Hon. Madzore was on Monday 11 April 2011 served with summons to appear in court for trial on charges of assaulting Detective Constable Everisto Maponga, a police officer in Glen View on 14 December 2006. The case was postponed to 17 May 2011.
13 April 2011
Shakespeare Mukoyi, the MDC Harare Youth Assembly vice chairperson who was arrested and beaten by police at a peace church service on Saturday is released on free bail. Mukoyi was arrested with 12 other worshipers who were released on Monday. Mukoyi appeared in court with a neck brace after he was seriously assaulted by the police. He will appear in court on 18 May. He is facing charges of assaulting a police officer on the day he was arrested.
18 April 2011
Rwisai Nyakauri, the 82 year old MDC activist and village headman who was abducted and assaulted by Zanu PF supporters in Nyanga before he was remanded in custody at the Mutare Remand Prison dies. Nyakauri was arrested together with Nyanga North MP Hon. Douglas Mwonzora and 23 other MDC activists. They were all remanded in custody facing trumped up charges of inciting violence.
13 April 2011
National Healing Minister Moses Mzila Ndlovu and Catholic priest, Father Marko Mnkandla are arrested in Lupane, Matebeleland North province on allegations that they uttered statements to the effect that the police, army, and the CIO agents work with Robert Mugabe in committing human rights abuses.
19 April 2011
National Healing Minister and Father Marko Mnkandla who were languishing in detention appear in leg irons facing charges of contravening Section 31 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
19 April 2011
Police in Hwange arrest, interrogate and later release three lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) and four high MDC officials. They had driven to Hwange to witness the trial of National Healing Minister Moses Mzila Ndlovu and Catholic priest, Father Marko Mnkandla. The arrested are; lawyers Lizwe Jamela, Nikiwe Ncube and Nosimilo Chanayiwa and MDC officials Qhubani Moyo, Nhlanhla Dube, Rita Ndlovu and Joshua Mhambi.
25 April 2011
Self styled war veterans’ leader, Jabulani Sibanda left scores of villagers at Gozho Primary School in Masvingo Central, struck in fear after he threatened to unleash war veterans from Matebeleland to Masvingo to “deal” with all suspected MDC supporters ahead of anticipated elections later this year.
27 April 2011
10 MDC Mashonaland West provincial members are arrested in Kariba for allegedly holding an illegal meeting. They were infact finalising plans to travel to Bulawayo for the MDC Congress. Among those arrested was Greenwich Ndanga, the MDC Mashonaland West Provincial Secretary.
28 April 2011
The 10 MDC Mashonaland West provincial members who were arrested in Kariba are released at Chinhoyi Police Station without any charges brought against them.
28 April 2011
Hifa artistic director, Manuel Bagorro and three other Hifa officials are summoned to the Harare Central Police Station by officers who wanted to know if The incident comes after four top HIFA officials were summoned to Harare Central Police Station on Thursday to discuss their censorship clearance for the show.
They were questioned and released without charge. On Monday HIFA artistic director Manuel Bagorro confirmed that he and three others met the police, who wanted to know if standard censorship procedures had been sought and secured.
01 May 2011
Nine families from Ward 1 Chimanimani East who are MDC activists had their houses, livestock, crops and property worth thousands of dollars burnt by Zanu PF thugs. They were also tied to trees and heavily assaulted with electric codes. The nine families constitute 29 individuals and they are currently homeless and were left with virtually nothing after all their documents, food and property were destroyed to ashes while they looked on.
They had barely spent a week at their homes after they had returned from the MDC provincial offices in Mutare where they were housed for nearly a month after they had fled again from the same thugs who had beaten them, looted some of their goods and forced them to flee their homes. A report was made at Cashel Valley Police Station but no docket was opened as the police said the case was too political.
01 May 2011
Four sculptors who participated at Harare International Festival of Arts (HIFA) are attacked by Zanu PF thugs in central Harare. The sculptors said that they were heading for HIFA when they were picked up by a group of Zanu PF youths, taken to the party’s provincial offices and beaten up. It was not clear who the Zanu PF group were taking orders from, as it is believed that there are now a number of groups taking orders from different people in the party. While at the Zanu PF offices they were beaten because Hifa is pro-MDC, and that is why Zanu PF and the police are worried about it.
09 May 2011
Five members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (Woza), including leader Jennie Williams are brutally assaulted by the riot police as they demonstrated against Zesa’s load shedding and unfair billing methods. Over 500 women took part in the demonstration.
09 May 2011
Water Resources Minister and Lobengula MP, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo and State Enterprises Minister Gorden Moyo are barred from entering the notorious Khami Maximum Prsion in Bulawayo where they had visited jailed Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MFL) leader Paul Siwela.
10 May 2011
Tonderai Gift Nyabadza, an MDC activist is arrested in Nyanga North, Manicaland province on charges of inciting political violence in February.
24 May 2011
Edson Masango, a headmaster at Mapo Primary School in Odzi, Manicaland Province, fled from the school after receiving death threats from Zanu PF supporters because he had accepted a donation from the Senator Keresenzia Chabuka from the Constituency Development Fund. Senator Chabuka is and MDC member.
30 May 2011
Dozens of MDC activists are arrested in Glen View on allegations of murdering a police officer at a night club at Glen View 3 Shopping Centre. The police officer was killed by unknown revellers on 29 May 2011.
01 June 2011
Sergeant Alois Mabhunu, a police officer accused of using a toilet reserved for Robert Mugabe is jailed for 10 days. Mabhunu was arrested on 6 May at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo for using a toilet designated for Mugabe.
03 June 2011
Police have charged 24 MDC activists with murder following the stoning to death of a police officer at a bar in Glen View 3. The residents, picked randomly in the volatile suburb, were finally allowed access to lawyers yesterday before being charged. They appeared before a Harare magistrate and are remanded in custody.
Among those arrested are; Yvonne Musarurwa, Rebecca Mafukeni, Steven Manjoro, Cynthia Manjoro, Gabriel Banda Shumba, Eliah Mukamba, Farukai Felix, William Njenda, Stanford Mangwiro, Casper Chinyanga, Brian Kasungama, Edwin Nhingiri, Last Maengahama, Stanley Maengahama, Edison Maengahama, Lazarus Maengahama, Odeus Chitanda, Lloyd Chitanda, Precious Chitanda, Councillor Tungamirai Madzokere, Mavis Madzokere, Ollyn Madzokere, Stefan Takaedzwa and Benjamin Majecha.
17 June 2011
Washington Tirivangani, a councillor in Makonde, Mashonaland West province is arrested by the police last Friday at Chipfuwamiti Business Centre while distributing the MDC official mouthpiece, The Real Change on Times and Prime Minister’s Newsletter. He is detained at Chemagamba Police Station in Chinhoyi.
22 June 2011
Dozens of Zanu PF thugs remove MDC rally posters announcing a rally to be addressed by President Tsvangirai in the city at the weekend. Some of them are arrested but released within an hour.
23 June 2011
Tendai Chinyama, the MDC Kambuzuma district organising secretary was today abducted this afternoon at the Harare City Council Bishop depot by three unidentified armed men driving in a Mitsubishi L200 cream twin-cab. His whereabouts remain unknown and the MDC fears for his life.
24 June 2011
Jameson Timba Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and MDC Secretary for International Relations is abducted outside his offices by three police in plain clothes. Police are charging with calling Robert Mugabe a liar. His whereabouts are unknown.
25 June 2011
The whereabouts of Jameson Timba remain unknown and lawyers representing him apply at the High Court for him to be produced by the police. High Court judge, Joseph Musakwa orders that he be brought to the High Court by 11:00 on Sunday.
26 June 2011
Jameson Timba is brought to the High Court in the morning. He was detained at the Harare Central, Matapi in Mbare and St Mary’s police station. While in custody since Friday, he was denied food, water, access to relatives and lawyers. Justice Musakwa orders his immediate release saying his arrest was unconstitutional.
27 June 2011
Tendai Chinyama who was abducted at his workplace in Belvedere, Harare is finally brought to court and remanded in custody on charges of killing a police officer in Glen View. This brings to 24 the number of MDC activists who are remand prison facing the same charge.
29 June 2011
Two journalists from The Standard newspaper, Nevanji Madanhire, the editor and Patience Nyangove, a reporter, are arrested at their offices over a story published on Sunday involving the arrest of Hon. Jameson Timba.
08 July 2011
Political parties and their members will be liable for criminal prosecution for pre-empting the official announcement of results of any national election, new poll regulations have revealed. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is the sole body mandated to run and announce poll results countrywide. Regulations released last week also stipulate that before being nominated as a party candidate, a person would have to be certified by an officer whom a political party indicates to ZEC.
10 July 2011
Welshman Ncube, Moses Mzila-Ndlovu, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and several officials from their party are arrested in Hwange, Matebeleland North. They were later released without charge after being detained for more than three hours.
13 July 2011
Allan Svotwa, the MDC district chairperson for Headlands was on Wednesday night taken by Colonel Svodzai and police officers from his house but to date his relatives do not know where he is. Efforts to locate him have been futile as those who went to look for him at Headlands Police Station, where the Colonel and police officers had said they were taking him, were told he was not there.
The MDC is making frantic efforts to locate him through its lawyers. Zanu PF’s Politburo has unanimously resolved to insist on elections this year and to reject the proposed roadmap presented to them by their negotiator Patrick Chinamasa until timelines and other aspects of it are revised.
13 July 2011
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu today reserves judgment in an application by MDC Secretary-General and Finance Minister, Tendai Biti in which he is interdicting the police from accessing information from his mobile phone lines. Biti filed an urgent chamber application interdicting the police from accessing information from his cellphones as it was a form of harassment after a Harare provincial magistrate; Mishrod Guvamombe had issued the police a warrant of seizure.
There have been several attempts on Biti’s life this year with Zanu PF thugs attacking his government offices twice and unknown assailants bombing his Harare home.
14 July 2011
Abel Samakande, the MDC Mutoko East district chairperson and Steven Zenda, the Mutoko East District Organising Secretary have been hospitalised after they seriously assaulted by Zanu PF thugs at Mbare Musika, Harare.
15 July 2011
Eight MDC activists in remand prison on false charges of murdering a police officer in Glen View, Harare are being denied access to medical attention by prison officials despite a court ruling ordering that they receive treatment. This was revealed today by defence lawyer, Jeremiah Bamu at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts where the eight, including 16 other MDC activists who are out on bail appeared for their routine remand hearing.
The 24 MDC activists are facing trumped up charges of murdering a police officer at Glen View 3 Shopping Centre in May. The police officer was killed by unknown revelers at a night club.
15 July 2011
Assistant Inspector Tedious Chisango is fired from the police force on allegations of playing a popular MDC song, Simudza Ngerengere, by MP Paul Madzore. Chisango was dumped in a bush near Ntabazinduna Police Training Depot on the outskirts of Bulawayo. The police officer was evicted from Ntabazinduna Police Training Depot after his expulsion from the force.
15 July 2011
Journalists, Nqobani Ndlovu, from the Standard, Pindai Dube, the Daily News, Pamenus Tuso and Oscar Nkala are arrested for covering the story of a police officer who was evicted for playing MDC songs. They arrested at 11 AM and released after 5 PF. The four were ordered to delete photographs from their cameras.
16 July 2011
Visibly drunk rogue soldiers 4-2 Infantry battalion in Gutu, Masvingo go on a rampage and beat up patrons at Big Wave night club. A patron broke an arm and had to seek medical attention in Masvingo Town.
16 July 2011
Councillor Francisca Ncube of Ward 10 Hwange, Matebeleland North is arrested for organising a resident’s meeting.
25 July 2011
Zebedia Mpofu is arrested for allegedly telling Gilbert Mataruse, a workmate that Robert Mugabe’s death was imminent and that the MDC through its leader, President Tsvangirai, real change was coming to Zimbabwe as evidenced by Mataruse having his lunch. Mpofu is being charged with undermining the authority or insulting the President. The incident took place in October last year and according to the state outline, Mpofu went to Mataruse’s office who works as a security guard and is a Zanu PF supporter and was having lunch.
03 August 2011
Ayaya Kassim, an MDC Youth Assembly chairperson for Ward 11 in Mbare, Harare is hospitalised after some known Zanu PF youths in the area poured hot cooking oil in his face yesterday. The unpleasant incident took place at a house in 4th Street Avenue in Mbare where Kassim had visited a fellow MDC colleague. Zanu PF mobsters who had hot cooking oil followed him into the house and poured the oil into his face. He received serious burns and was admitted at a Harare hospital.
09 August 2011
Seven MDC supporters are assaulted by Zanu PF youths for not attending the Defence Forces Day celebrations at the National Sports Stadium. Two of them David Rakapoba and Robert Bizure are hospitalised while the other five Taurai Maravanyika, Takura Gadzikwa and his wife, Zodwa Gwanzura and Shupikai Magora were arrested and detained at Stodart Police Station after they had reported the assault.
09 August 2011
Known Zanu PF supportes led by one Joshua Sacco deface the MDC offices in Chimanimani, Manicaland.
