Resist, Reject and Report Violence, #RRRV2023
Bulawayo
In the month of March, Zanu PF conducted their primary elections, an internal process of selecting
candidates for the 2023 elections. Although the process was described by many as relatively
peaceful, it was marred by violations and irregularities. At Market Square, a Zanu PF activist and
aspiring councillor identified as Josiah Moyo went around forcing vendors to buy the ruling party
membership cards. Moyo went on to intimidate vendors that those that failed to buy the cards were
at risk of losing vending sites for them to operate in both designated and undesignated sites. During
the primary elections, many voters had their names missing from the voters roll and did not manage
to vote. At some polling stations, there were some delays opening polling stations voting. Anumber of
women in the province made it to the party lists to contest in the 2023 elections. Apart from the Zanu
PF primary elections, there was an increase in political and tribal intolerance. Thabani Ndlovu and his
accomplice of Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) forced a man to remove a CCC t-shirt. Ndlovu and his
accomplices told the victim to remove his regalia if he wanted to be permitted to play the friendly
soccer match organised by the community members. A similar case perpetrated by the MRP was
recorded at Sizinda shops where Thabani Magutsha went around the shops insulting Zanu PF and
CCC supporters.
Matabeleland North
In Matabeleland North, during the run up to the Zanu PF primary elections, many irregularities were
recorded. In Nkayi North during the Zanu PF primary elections, the village head identified as Moyoza
forced non-members of the ruling party to vote. Moyoza intimidated villagers to vote for Sithembiso
Nyoni. Moyoza was quoted saying, ‘Whether in opposition or not, all villagers must vote as they all
receive food aid from the ruling party.’ In the same constituency, Morris Nyoni of Zanu PF went
around defacing the posters of other candidates during the primary elections. Nyoni defaced the
posters of Mlamuleli Tshuma and Sithabile Mathema which is against the electoral act for any
electoral process in Zimbabwe. In Nkayi South, on the eve to the Zanu PF primaries, supporters of the
candidate Stars Mathe led by Vulindlela Ncube forced villagers to attend the campaign meeting at the
shops. Ncube and others used a food aid register to force villagers to attend the meeting citing that
if one was marked absent, they would be dealt with. During the meeting villagers were instructed to
vote for Mathe and no one else. Villagers were forced to recite the slogan:’ Forward with Stars Mathe
and down with Khumalo’, a running candidate against Mathe.
MARCH 2023
The Zimbabwe Peace Project Monthly Monitoring Report
26