Special Report: Villagers in Zimbabwe still exposed to violence, intimidation and vote buying

By Hosia Beta

In Gadzema village, 110 Kilometres, South West of Harare, villagers continue to be exposed to political violence, intimidation and vote buying as Zimbabwe’s make or break general elections draw closer.

With the Principals in Zimbabwe’s inclusive government agreeing on the country’s draft constitution, elections may be called anytime before the end of June 2013. This is despite the fact that the situation on the ground, particularly the rural communities, is not conducive for the holding of free and fair elections.

Gadzema is one such community where the machinery of political violence, torture and intimidation, set up in the run up to the June 27 2008 presidential runoff election, has remained intact and is being utilised by ZANU PF as part of its strategy to manipulate the forthcoming elections.

As this reporter established during an investigative visit, Gadzema still harbours a torture base established in the wake of the bloody 2008 presidential runoff election. From afar, the base appears defunct and deserted, but a closer look points to how it continues to be in operation.

At the centre of the base is an old hut in which those perceived to be ZANU PF opponents continue to be exposed to severe beatings by members of the ZANU PF aligned militia. Wallowing twigs whose moisture content point to recent use were strewn around the hut’s rugged floor.

The little light that filtered into the hut could not help but carry imaginations to the NAZI era torture chambers that I came to know of through history lessons in High school.

In front of the hut is a wide open space, which as I gathered from Michael Moyo , a Gadzema villager, is used for different sorts of meetings.

These include planning, intimidation and indoctrination meetings. As stated by Michael who is the MDC Chairperson for Gadzema’s Ward 22, the open space is also used for rounding and beating up people who do not support ZANU PF.

“This is where people are drilled on the virtues of belonging to ZANU PF. It is also where meetings are held and villagers are instructed not to belong to any other political party other than ZANU PF”, Michael told me as we toured the open space area.

“Those who refuse to obey the order to back ZANU PF are also rounded up and thrashed at this place”, Michael added, pointing out that the open space area is also used for training and mobilising youths for purposes of terror against non ZANU PF supporters.

As learnt from Michael and other villagers interviewed, scores of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters have been thrashed at the base and forced to renounce their MDC membership or else face further victimisation.

Information gathered pointed to Mai Pfute, Councillor for Gadzema’s Ward 22, as the mastermind of terror in the area.

Mai Pfute works through two foot soldiers, known in the area as Giga and Fani. Efforts to get a comment from Mai Pfute were fruitless as villagers highlighted she had relocated to Bluerock farm some kilometres away from Gadzema after setting her house ablaze.

Giga and Fani have been linked to the recent abduction of three MDC supporters, Christon Banda, Masimba Madombwe and Tichaona Gombingo.

The three were abducted at the end of last year after participating in an MDC organised provincial soccer tournament at Nyatsanga Business Centre, Mashonaland West Province. This reporter managed to see Giga’s white Toyota Elgrand that was reportedly used in the abductions.

After the tournament, ZANU PF mobilised youths are said to have gathered at the Gadzema base for a Giga and Fani coordinated planning meeting, which culminated in the abduction of Banda, Madombwe and Gombingo.

The three were only released after being forced to give details of other MDC members in Gadzema.

However, contacted for a comment Mashonaland West police spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabweazara said there were no cases of violence, abductions and intimidations that were reported in the province.

“I have not received any reports of political violence or intimidation in Chegutu. The environment is still calm and the villagers should report cases of intimidation and violence if they are taking place,” said Inspector Mabweazara.

As said by Michael, the abductions were reported to the police, but nothing has been done to bring perpetrators to justice.

In fact, Giga and Fani have intensified their terror campaign. Villagers who spoke to this reporter pointed out how Fani and Giga have started leading a door to door campaign, warning villagers against belonging to political parties that oppose ZANU PF.

“As they conduct their door to door campaigns, ZANU PF youths chant songs and slogans that denounce members of the MDC and other political parties as sell outs [that must die”], said Ranga Moyo, a villager who says he is increasingly feeling insecure as the call for the next elections gathers momentum.

To maintain its hold on mostly unemployed youths, ZANU PF is monopolising illegal gold mining activities in the Gadzema area. With supporters of other political parties being barred from gold panning, ZANU PF loyalists are being rewarded with gold mining claims.

This reporter had an opportunity to go to a place known as KwaDread where hundreds of youths were busy extracting gold.

“This is a ZANU PF area. Giga and Fani are in total control. It is one of those areas where one cannot extract gold without a ZANU PF card,”Ranga said.

As Ranga put it to me, the lives of most youths in Gadzema now revolve around attending ZANU PF meetings, carrying out ZANU PF door to door campaigns and ZANU PF sanctioned gold panning. By allowing youths to engage in gold panning.

This, as Ranga put it, “amounts to indoctrination, voter intimidation and vote buying.” Nehanda Radio