#PROVINCIAL OUTLOOK
HARARE
The province recorded in an
increase in crimes committed by
suspected law enforcement
agents particularly members of
the Zimbabwe National Army
(ZNA) and police officers. In one
of the cases, police in Harare
arrested members of army in
connection with an armed robbery
and murder that occurred in
Hatfield suburb on 24 December.
The two army suspects reportedly
robbed US$40 000 from the
Hatfield house and also shot dead
Elvis Chijaka and wounded Brian
Chijaka. According to the Police,
the suspects, armed with the
standard army issue AK47 rifles, ,
wore balaclavas and killed Elvis as
he responded to a call by his sister
during the robbery. In another case
involving state security agents, five
police officers in Harare’s Budiriro
suburb publicly assaulted and
killed a man in front of his
children on 26 December.
Percy Dick (31) had left home for a
routine medical check-up when
police officers blocked his vehicle
and a dispute arose resulting in
the pokice assaulting Percy.
According to witnesses, a police
officer grabbed Percy by the
privates and pulled him until his
eyes turned whit.
MASHONALAND WEST
In Mashonaland West, six people
lost their lives in two separate
incidents. A soldier deployed in
Mhondoro-Ngezi shot and killed
five civilians when he was
confronted for sexually abusing
young girls. He reportedly
discharged his fire arm and killed
five people as three other people
sustained injuries.
In another incident a business
man was killed by a suspected
artisanal miner who then robbed
him before stabbing him to death.
He was found in a pool of blood
and the assailants got away with an
unknown amount of USD and
groceries worth thousands of USD.
Mashonaland West recorded
numerous cases of intra-party
violence, as the Zanu PF party had
its provincial election the process
was marred by violence. In
Mhondoro- Ngezi a rival candidate
opened fire and randomly shot at
the vehicle of his opponent.
Although there were no causalities,
the incident traumatised people
who had come to cast their votes.
BULAWAYO
The month witnessed the birth of a
new political party, the Freedom
Party. It is a party that is said to
have been formed by regional
leaders across political lines, civic
society, cultural custodians and
opinion leaders. The party is said
to be an exclusive Matabeleland
party representing all ethnic
groups.
Zanu PF continued with its
campaigns. In Ward 13, one
Siphosami Dube (35yrs) of Zanu PF
was going around forcing
households to register into Zanu PF
cell structures. Moyo reportedly
said those that failed to register as
Zanu PF members would never
receive food aid.
Suspected Zanu PF activists
disrupted an Annual General
Meeting of the Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition. The meeting was an
elective gathering to elect a new
board executive.
MATABELELAND NORTH
The most striking human rights
violations recorded in the
province emanated from the
recently ended Zanu PF provincial
elections.
In Hwange central constituency at
Madumanisa village where Willard
Muleya and Laison Ncube
threatened to cause chaos if their
preferred Zanu PF provincial
Chairperson Richard Moyo lost.
The level of intimidation by Zanu
PF officials targeting supporters of
other political parties remained
high. For example, at Siyangaya
village, a Zanu PF activist only
identified as Mandla Lifa, told
people at a local shopping centre
that if they did not participate in
the forthcoming activities of the
party, they would be removed from
future aid distribution schemes.
The same incident happened at
Khatshana village of Lupane West,
where another Zanu PF activist,
Tryphine Khumalo told villagers to
register under her party cell group
or risk being removed from the
food aid distribution list. She said
Zanu PF was ‘never’ going to lose
the 2023 election and when that
happens, all other political parties
would be assimilated into Zanu PF.
The month also witnessed different
organizations engaging the
communities on the PVO
Amendment Bill that the
government intends to enact. In
Binga ward 7, one of the
participants said,
This is not the first time that the
Zanu PF led government is trying to
enact such a law. They have tried it
before and it failed. It is just a ploy
to silence them. Fine say those
organizations are banned, who is
going to educate us, inform us and
help us? As far as I know here in
Binga there are no radio stations,
frequency is poor and there is poor
network connectivity.”
MATABELELAND SOUTH
In Matabelelend South, ZPP
recorded political clashes driven
by tribalism. On Christmas eve,
police at Gwanda Central attended
to an incident of public violence
where a Mthwakazi Republic Party
(MRP) supporter accused ‘Shona’
politicians of being behind the
country’s economic nosedive.
Police continued to use crude
methods to enforce the COVID-19
restrictions. For example, at
Bulilima West, police officers
randomly assaulted citizens
accused of breaching the COVID-19
lockdown restrictions.