because he is of the MDC-T. Goromonzi vendors participated in a demonstration in Harare on 30
June against outdated policies used by council to address vendor issues.
Mashonaland West
The highlight of the province was the by-election which took place in Hurungwe West on 10 June
2015. The environment in Hurungwe West was tense and as a result there is fear that people could
not freely express their will during the June 10 Parliamentary elections. Village heads were forced to
bring in their people to vote and a register of such voters was kept and marked by the traditional
leaders. The election left the community divided as families turned against each other for instance
the four headmen who were demoted from their positions for supporting Temba Mliswa were
replaced by their relatives. Hurungwe was the only constituency where violence reached
unprecedented levels in the last by elections largely because the former MP Mliswa contested as an
independent. As a result Zanu PF realised that Mliswa was a real challenge.
Factionalism was heightened in the MDC Renewal party in Chinhoyi where most of the supporters
have moved to Elton Mangoma’s side after being influenced by a National Committee member
Abigail Sauti. She has indicated to supporters that MDC Renewal’s Tendai Biti wants to work with
former Vice President Mujuru and turn the party into Zanu PF party.
Villagers from Mafuta village 3 in Raffingora started the search for gold at a hill at Rickstone in June
2015. Within a few days they discovered that the hill had plenty of gold deposits. They were later
joined by other villagers from around Rickstone. Word reached the local police who came armed
with tear gas and other items to drive away the villagers. The villagers were beaten and some were
tortured by the police who indicated that the place had been bought by a certain Chikore. One of
the victims was tortured until he could not walk and he had to be carried home in a cart. Soon after
removal of the villagers the police started to bring in their people to dig for the gold and they are
said to be making money from the illegal extraction of gold. Some people are brought in from as far
as Kadoma while the local people who discovered the untapped wealth are left to starve.
Street vendors were removed from the streets of Karoi by the council on 26 and 28 of June
2015.They were told to go to designated areas where they pay rentals. Ironically the Council Chair
Richard Ziki has cleared up his private space for flea markets with high rentals. Desperate vendors
are forced to pay the inflated rentals to sell their wares for survival.
Manicaland
The by-elections held in Dangamvura Chikanga and in Headlands were the highlight of the month.
Zanu PF won both elections amid concerns of voter intimidation and vote buying.
On the 6th of June 2015 at Tanganda township in Chipinge Minister Oppah Muchinguri of Zanu PF
was invited to Chipinge district constituencies to address factionalism in the party. At the venue
members of Zanu PF bulldozed their way into the caucus meeting held before Minister Muchinguri’s
address. The Zanu PF members were from Chipinge South and had intended to demonstrate against
the demoted MP Enock Porusingazi. They disrupted the progress of the meeting as they raised
placards denouncing Porusingazi. They also labelled Muchinguri gamatox. The acting provincial Chair
Samuel Undenge and his Deputy Simon Mapamba ordered the youths present at the meeting to deal
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