By Farayi Machamire
Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa has made veiled threats to unleash violence and abductions in Bikita West if the forthcoming by-election in the constituency does not go Zanu PF’s way.
The threats come as local human rights watchdog, Heal Zimbabwe Trust (HZT), has expressed deep concerns about the escalation of human rights violations in the area, ahead of the parliamentary by-election which is slated for January 21.
The sickly Mahofa told ruling party supporters who gathered at Gwindingwi Primary School on Wednesday to vote “wisely” or else suffer the consequences.
“Haa, munozviziva, muno hamusi mekutamba namo (You all know it. This is not a constituency to play silly games). Kune vamwe vakatsakatika muno umu gore riya, munoriziva. Handei tinovhota zvakanaka. (There are some who disappeared in this constituency as you know. Let us go and vote wisely,” she bellowed.
Mahofa’s remarks appeared to have been aimed at reminding supporters of the bloody and fiercely-contested 2001 Bikita West by-election, when Retired Colonel Claudius Makova battled it out with the MDC’s Bonny Pakai.
The titanic contest turned large parts of the constituency into a war zone, as Zanu PF officials went for MDC supporters, leading to the injury and displacement of scores of villagers.
An MDC activist, Amos Mutongi, was also said to have been murdered by Zanu PF thugs, all of whom are still at large.
“Muno, munonetsa kutamba namo. Ukada kutamba nemadh**** pasina mvura unoshaiwa pekumagezera. Unofamba uchinhuwa. (This party has no room for funny business. Anyone who dares to do that will find themselves in deep trouble).
“This is what we are telling Mai Mujuru. . . . acting president, we do as we say. What we want to assure you as Masvingo province is that we are going to give you the highest percentage vote. This is Bikita West, Bikita Best … let us go and vote wisely,” Mahofa added ominously on Wednesday.
Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) will be represented by Kudakwashe Gopo in the by-election, which fell vacant when convicted rapist Munyaradzi Kereke was sent to prison for 14 years.
The former Zanu PF member is one of six candidates vying for the constituency whose poll build-up has been engulfed by rising political temperatures, punctuated by clashes between ZPF and ruling party supporters.
Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa used Wednesday’s Zanu PF rally to promise the Bikita West Constituency food aid to alleviate the plight of hundreds of villagers there who are in urgent need of food aid.
However, civic organisations, who have raised the red flag about the partisan distribution of food aid ahead of the by-election, doubt if the aid will be distributed along non-partisan lines. Daily News
