demand that they be non partisan. With resources whose sources no one was aware of traditional
leaders were assigned people who worked with them whose main task was to ensure that the
traditional leaders would not communicate with Mliswa who was presented as an outcast.
The convening of Zanu PF meetings unleashed violations on the villagers in Hurungwe West as
security agents, the Zanu PF youth militia descended on the constituency. Most people including
school children lived in fear as most of the activities including meetings and the public assault of
opponents happened in schools. The campaign meetings by the two vice Presidents left trails of
victims of violence and thousands more who just feared being suspected of belonging to the wrong
camp. Threats of deaths against Mliswa’s supporters were also issued.
On 9 May two central intelligence agent officers were deployed at Mashuma Primary School where
they demanded accommodation from the head of Mashuma. They indicated that they would be
monitoring the area. On 14 May Chief Nyamhunga summoned all village heads and ordered them to
ensure villagers attend a Zanu PF meeting at Nyamhunga Secondary School that was addressed by
Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko on 15 May 2015. Villagers who live near the venue are reported
to have had sleepless nights as people suspected to be members of security agents manned the
area. This brought terror to the villagers as they had experienced some villagers and village heads
being assaulted by Chiyangwa and Zanu PF youths in April for their allegiance to Mliswa. Four people
were assaulted at Sengwe Township on the same day for failing to attend the meeting addressed by
Vice President Mphoko. They included two shop owners who were accused of not closing their
shops and two beer drinking patrons who were beaten up for drinking instead of attending the
meeting. They were assaulted by Zanu PF youths believed to be from Zvimba. They forced one of the
victims into their vehicle and he was reported missing for some time.
Masvingo
Masvingo is one of the provinces that have lost the largest number of seating Members of
Parliament (MPs) due to the factional purges that are currently taking place in Zanu-PF. The Chiredzi
area has suffered the greatest after four MPs were demoted, suspended and others expelled from
the party. The suspensions range from three to ten years while Colonel Calisto Gwanetsa former
Provincial Chairperson was expelled for being the face and front man for the gamatox. Others in the
same category are former Energy Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire.
In a case of factional fighting, MP for Masvingo North, Honourable Davies Marapira on 10 May 2015
initiated the establishment of committees comprising seven members at village level who are
supposed to monitor the movements and programs of the ‘gamatox’ group. The committees are led
by war veterans only known as Muvhango, Muguti and Chipono. It is significant to note that the
initiative to monitor the gamatox is also underway in Chiredzi where it is led by former Masvingo
Provincial Governor Titus Maluleke.
Manicaland
The province has seen an increase in the number of recorded human rights abuses as the province
prepared for two by elections in Headlands and Dangamvura-Chikanga constituencies. It has also
witnessed pro-poor programmes initiated by the ruling party in an effort to spruce up the image of
its candidates Christopher Chingosho for Headlands and Esau Mupfumi in Dangamvura-Chikanga.
On 2 May 2015, a National Constitutional Assembly party (NCA) activist was physically assaulted by
Zanu PF youths at Beit Hall in Dangamvura while attending his party programme. Most of the youths
who assaulted the victim are not residents of Dangamvura-Chikanga and could have been
transported from another constituency.
5