METHODOLOGY
This report is based on reports from ZPP long-term community based human rights monitors who
observe, monitor and record cases of human rights violations in the constituencies they reside. ZPP
deploys a total of 420 community-based primary peace monitors (two per each of the 210 electoral
constituencies of Zimbabwe). These community-based monitors reside in the constituencies they monitor.
They compile reports that are handed over to ZPP provincial coordinators who man the different ZPP
offices in the ten administrative provinces of Zimbabwe. Upon receipt and verifications of the reports
from the monitors, the provincial coordinators compile provincial monthly monitoring reports, which are
then consolidated at national office into the ZPP monthly monitoring reports published in retrospect.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The internal fights within the country’s major political parties of Zanu PF and the MDC-T
continued unabated during the month as the parties prepare for their respective congresses
later this year. Party stalwarts jostled for positions ahead of the elective congresses scheduled
for October and December for the MDC-T and Zanu PF respectively. The intra-party fights
manifested in a spate of public violence and war of words within the two parties. There was
an upsurge in the use of hate language with words like “gamatox1” and weevils” becoming
part of the political language.
While political leaders continued to fight at the national level, the levels of political violence
remained subdued throughout the country with a total of 193 cases having been recorded
during the month under review as compared to the 196 witnessed in August 2014. As has
been with the past three months, the Midlands province had the highest number of violations
at 68 cases followed by Mashonaland Central with 29 incidents.
The MDC-T had the bulk of the incidents related to mismanagement of internal party
democracy with Zanu PF following closely behind. The MDC-T had 36 cases of intra-party
violence as the party moved to restructure its district and provincial leadership and
nomination of candidates ahead of the party’s congress while Zanu PF had 30 recorded
incidents. In Zanu PF, apart from the prominent power struggles on succession ahead of the
elective congress in December, the entrance by First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe has provided
a new source conflict within the party.
Violence marred most of the MDC-T congress
preparations as party officials from Chitungwiza,
188
200
Harare and Bulawayo provincial congresses
openly exchanging blows. The MDC-T activists
150
reportedly fought at a Harare provincial congress
100
during the weekend of 20-21 September as two
50
distinct camps jostled to nominate either current
0
organising secretary Nelson Chamisa or
1
spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora for the post of
secretary-general. In another related matter,
June
July
August
September
violence
erupted
at
the
party’s
Bulawayoprovincial offices on September 14, 2014 resulting in members laying assault charges
against each other. MDC-T Bulawayo deputy organising secretary Tsepiso Helen Mpofu was
allegedly beaten up by Artwell Sibanda during the skirmishes that left the provincial offices with
broken windows.
229
250
1
196
193
Gamatox is a deadly pesticide. The word gamatox was first used by Zanu PF secretary for administration
Didymus Mutasa suggesting that the only way to deal with weevils (party sell-outs) in the party was to use
gamatox.
2