Fear forces villagers to reject election call

By Thomas Madhuku

MUTOKO – As government principals haggle over election dates; villagers in Mutoko District have expressed lack of interest for elections fearing a resurgence of violence. 

The villagers indicated that they are not comfortable to have elections this year because they believe intimidation and threats they are currently witnessing will degenerate into abuses.

Muzondiwa Karimazondo (35), who resides in Mangoma village, Ward 12 of Mutoko North constituency could not hide his agony as he narrated his ordeal at the hands of alleged soldiers operating in the area.

Karimazondo alleged that he was abducted for supporting the Movement for Democratic Change in 2008 elections. Karimazondo recalls everything that happened on that day when people who posed as soldiers ambushed his house before taking him to a nearby militia base.

“To me an election simply means violence and death of people,” he said.

Karimazondo who is in the MDC leadership felt relieved after the formation of the inclusive government because he thought this was going to ensure free, fair and violence free elections in the future.

He also expected perpetrators of violence to be arrested and charged but he is disappointed as he continues to meet them every day.

“Those are the people who are making our life difficult as they continue to threaten us with violence for supporting the MDC,” went on Karimazondo.

Angeline Mutisi from the same village bemoaned increased intimidation and threats targeted at MDC supporters. Her feeling is that nothing has been done to guarantee violence free elections.

“People are still not free to support political parties of their choice and this is enough to give a picture of how the next elections will be,” she said.

Another lady, Naomi Mauridi said hate speech was still the order of the day in their area. Mauridi expressed her reluctance to accept the idea of having elections without guaranteeing security and safety of MDC supporters.

“We are afraid that this election won’t be free and fair and we are planning to flee the area once elections draw closer,” she said.

She added that people were living in perpetual fear hinting that most of them were falsely supporting Zanu PF while promising to vote for the MDC. Asked if they had ever reported victimization to the police, Mauridi and Mutisi said they had lost hope in the police force due to its partisan conduct of duties.

Mutisi said they would prefer an election held under the close microscope of the international community and the United Nations.

“Right now, whenever we meet them they continue to threaten us with violence because they know nothing will happen to them. Sometimes they tell us that MDC supporters should disappear once election dates are announced,” she added.

Their biggest prayer is to delay polls up to such a time when the situation obtaining on the ground is conducive and secure for citizens to vote safely without fear of victimization.

Mapengo Mapengo, MDC district chairperson for Mutoko South also expressed the feeling that the political environment did not favor elections due to spirited and calculated intimidation by Zanu PF activists.

“People still have strong memories of what happened in the past, which Zanu PF activists are using that to instill fear in our people,” he said.

Mapengo added that peace calls from the President and Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) were falling on deaf ears as intimidation was still going ahead. He blamed Zanu PF leadership in Mtoko for ignoring peace calls from their leader.

“They always say that we will not see torture bases or militia camps like before yet they still promise us violence,” he added.

Beulah Mburundu a resident at Mutoko centre alleged that some Zanu PF members and soldiers had threatened tenants against staying at her house saying she was an MDC member. Mburundu added that she reported the matter to JOMIC but not action had been taken to date.

Reached for a comment, MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora confirmed that cases of victimization of people by village heads, war veterans and Zanu PF youths were rife in Mutoko.

“We are aware of the extreme provocation started by Zanu PF and harassment of our members and the ordinary people. We have engaged JOMIC on the matter, but unfortunately nothing has been done,” Mwonzora said.

But National spokesperson for Zanu-PF Rugare Gumbo lashed out at the reports of intimidation.

“People who claim there are intimidations are liars. Why is it JOMIC has not come forward with such reports?

“These are desperate attempts by MDC formations to garner sympathy from their western funders. There is remarkable peace and Zimbabweans want polls to end this adulterous political affair with MDC formations in the unity government,” Gumbo said.

Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) Communications Manager, Joram Nyathi quashed allegations of intimidation saying the political atmosphere in the country was generally peaceful.

Nyathi further said people should first report all cases of victimization and intimidation to the police to allow JOMIC to deal with authentic cases.

National Police Spokesperson Charity Charamba said those intimidated should report to the police and not rush to report to their parties. “Did they report to the police because we cannot just respond to allegations discussed in informal party gatherings,” Charamba said.