distribution in the ward. 14 Village Heads in attendance were instructed to register beneficiaries, but that
they should start by listing Zanu PF members.
In some instances, beneficiaries were removed from the list based on their political affiliation. These
incidents were noted in Mashonaland West at Sengwe Business Centre on 7 October 2019, Mashonaland
East at Zvichemo Business Centre on 10 October 2019, Mashonaland East in Murehwa North on 18 October
2019 at Zaranyika Primary School, on the 11th of October 2019 at Furamera Primary School in Marondera
West, the 23rd of October 2019 at Goso Village in Murehwa North and again at Revazvawaona Village
Ward 7 on the 20th of October 2019 also in Murehwa North.
Villagers are still being subjected to various forms of abuses to force them into paying funds supposedly to
facilitate transportation of their food from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to their village. In a number
of instances it is apparent that these corrupt activities are proliferating as indicated by an incident in Buhera
West Ward 5 where Village Head Gilford Chibvongodze, forced villagers in Manjengwa village to pay for
transport for 37 bags of maize but they in fact eventually received only 30 bags. In Nyanga North at Mangezi
Primary in Ward 2 on 22 October 2019, Department of Social Welfare distributed maize but many people
had to share a single bag of maize when the officials stated that a bag which ordinarily contains 50 kg, was
packed with extra kilograms.
The deprivation was noted to have taken a new twist in that Zanu PF members are now receiving text
messages highlighting the days of collection of various government aid in order to side-line MDC
supporters.
The artisanal mining gang wars are continuing at an alarming rate, especially in Kadoma. Cases of
artisanal miners assaulting citizens keep escalating and are reportedly occurring on a daily basis. The
mining syndicates operating in that area, named after their respective gang leaders, are called the Brown,
Adrian, Bernard, Stan and George Chipasure gangs. The gangs are assaulting, harassing and degrading
ordinary citizens and at times robbing them around Kadoma city. Deputy Mayor for Kadoma Tendai
Kokera confirmed that assaults and fights are reported daily in Macheke. She also pointed out that artisanal
mining syndicates were responsible for most of the reported cases. Kokera said, “Residents are usually
caught in the crossfire between artisanal miners fights or residents are robbed by desperate miners who use
Machetes to assault them.’
Rumwe Business Centre in Rimuka is reportedly the epicentre of these cases having recording the highest
number of such violations. An official at Kadoma hospital provided the following statistics for victims from
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