Update on the political environment: 12-05-13
Weekly bulletin- An Update on the Political Environment in Zimbabwe
(week ending 12-05- 13)
Related Articles
| Province and District
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General Environment |
Political Environment |
| Masvingo-Gutu West |
Tense |
In Gutu West, Ward 6, a ZANU PF member, Mrs Mhondiwa and a group of suspected ZANU PF youth threatened and harassed Mrs Lidhodho a MDC member at a local church on 28 April. The threats came after the ZANU PF activist suspected that Mrs Lidhodho was behind a striving mushroom project in the area which they thought was being sponsored by MDC T. The victim was harassed and dragged out of church before she could even explain that the project in question was actually initiated by an organization called Zimbabwe Opportunities Industrialisation Centre (ZOIC). ZOIC trains people on how to successful grow mushrooms. The case was reported to the police and no arrests have been made yet.
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| Masvingo-Zaka |
Tense |
In Zaka North, Ward 6, the MDC ward chairman, Mr Pepukai Mudzembiri on the 27th of April was threatened by Mr Zvirevo, a ZANU PF supporter who defected from MDC in March 2013. Mr Zvirevo approached the victim and threatened him with death if he does not join ZANU PF. Mr Zvirevo indicated to Mr Mudzembiri that there were plans to abduct him at 3am on 1 June if he does not renounce his membership from MDC. HZT encouraged the victim to report the case to the police.
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| Midlands-Gokwe |
Tense |
In Gokwe, ward 23, on the 27th of April, ZANU PF supporters moved around villages forcing people to buy ZANU PF cards which were costing $1 each. Those who complained or did not want to pay were threatened by the ZANU PF members that they will be beaten like what happened in 2008. Villagers because of the fear of the 2008 political violence, they were forced to purchase the membership cards.
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| Midlands-Kadoma |
Calm |
No cases of political violence were reported in ward 13, Kadoma.
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| Masvingo-Chiredzi |
Calm |
In Chiredzi, ward 4, no cases of political violence were recorded.
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| Mashonaland East – Mudzi North
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Moderate
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During the month of April, in Mudzi North, a group of ZANU PF youths led by Mirisi Paradzai moved around villages with a copy of the voter’s roll asking those whose names appeared in the voters roll to state which party they will for in the pending elections. Villagers because of fear were all forced to mention that they would all vote for ZANU PF come election time. Since then, villagers have been leaving in fear of the reminiscence of the 2008 political violence.
On 29 April, 42 people who had voted in past elections in Mudzi North discovered that their names were no longer appearing in the voters roll. They were left with no choice but to register again.
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| Mashonaland East – Uzumba |
Moderate
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At a registrar’s office situated in Mutawatawa, Mr Chiwara who works in room 9 on 29 April refused to register as voters 28 people who are well known MDC members yet they had all the required documents. At the same office, those who want to register as voters but do not have national identity cards are being asked to pay as much as up to $40 to replace torn or soiled IDs. This has reduced the number of people who are registering to vote as most of them cannot afford such amounts of cash.
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| Manicaland-Chimanimani |
Calm |
There are no recorded cases of political violence in Chimanimani Ward 16. But the one day allocated for mobile voter registration in the ward was noted as insufficient as many people failed to register.
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| Manicaland- Buhera |
Calm |
There are no reported cases of political violence in Ward 33 Chief Chamutsa’s area.
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| Mashonaland East – Mudzi North |
Tense |
On the 2nd of May at Kotwa business centre, soldiers were deployed in that area and have been terrorising villagers. The soldiers together with war veterans are moving around the whole of Mudzi North telling the villagers to stop supporting MDC and join ZANU PF, promising them projects that include giving the villagers capital of up to $5000 to start businesses.
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| Mashonaland East – Mudzi North |
Tense |
On the 2nd of May in Mudzi, seven Zimbabwe Prison security officers moved around villages harassing and intimidating villagers. The prison officers were telling the villagers that they should all vote for ZANU PF in the coming elections or risk being chucked out of the community if ZANU PF loses the elections.
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| Midlands – Kadoma |
Moderate |
On the 5th of May at Waverley in ward 11, Tawanda Siyanji and Philani Mudhenda who are both MDC supporters wanted to register as voters but were blocked by Dominic Regis Musapurwa a former ZANU PF councillor for ward 11. Mr Musapurwa who was manning the entry to the registrar’s office was selecting people whom he thought were supposed to register and turning others away. An attempt to report the case to the police was made but the police did not cooperate.
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| Masvingo – Mwenezi East |
Moderate |
On the 4th of May in ward 5, Nyasha Maphosa an ex-soldier went to Patrick Bhisikiti’s house an MDC activist and threatened him that soldiers were going to kidnap him if he continues to support MDC. Since then Mr Bhisikiti has not been sleeping at home fearing for his life. Members of JOMIC have been informed of the incident.
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Compiled by Heal Zimbabwe Trust
