Resist, Reject and Report Violence, #RRRV2023
Masvingo
In Masvingo, vote buying as well as threats, intimidation and harassment of perceived opposition
supporters were the highlights of the month. Zanu PF aspiring MP candidate Brian Mudhumo brought
40 bags of cement and US$400 for village heads in ward 14, Masvingo North, Masvingo Rural in a
move to buyvotes. The cement was donated to Chikwanda Secondary, and 40 village heads received
US$10.00 each for airtime. The next day, people came close to fighting, claiming that they had
already decided to vote for someone who would feed them rather than for growth. This precedent is
likely to be exported into the impending 2023 harmonised elections. Intimidation and coercion of
residentts to attend Zanu PF meetings were rampant during the month under review. In Masvingo
West, ward 33, at King Mine, residents were reportedly living in fear since they were being victimised
and forced to attend Zanu PF rallies throughout the province. Once President Mnangagwa or First
Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa visited, ZUPCO buses in their numbers would come to ferry citizens. On 10
March, a Zanu PF chairperson in ward 33, Lydia Chimbare also known as Sigauke, was heard saying
that those who failed to attend rallies were to be evicted from the mine houses. This was uttered
during their trip from Kwekwe where they had gone to attend a rally. Residents were then forced to
attend rallies against their will, so as to preserve their rights to occupy the mine houses.
Midlands
The abuse of traditional leaders to canvass votes for the ruling Zanu PF party was rampant in the
Midlands. In Silobela, all village heads were reportedly summoned by Chief Malisa to submit their
village head registers. The lists were allegedly required by Local Government and Public Works
Minister July Moyo. Moyo is said to have reaffirmed that those who were not on the Zanu PF cell
structures were not going to be receiving farming inputs like fertiliser until they join Zanu PF. In
Gokwe Kana, ward 1, incidents of politically motivated threats were reported with village heads being
forced to campaign for Zanu PF and President Mnangagwa for the 2023 elections. Zanu PF activists
were intimidating villagers stating that those opposed to the ruling party were going to be ‘met by the
fist’ which ironically is their party symbol used when sloganeering. The activists reportedly said that
even abductions were to be used against those opposed to them. In this case, village heads were also
asked to produce registers of meetings they had convened and the names of villagers who had
attended those particular meetings.
MARCH 2023
The Zimbabwe Peace Project Monthly Monitoring Report
24