were threatened with violence similar to the 2008 terror. Village heads and
secretaries were also implored to ensure that non-Zanu-PF supporters did not
benefit from any state assistance and that lists were going to be compiled by the
Zanu-PF youth officer.
Mashonaland West
The province saw People First party building structures in different constituencies. The
province also saw food continue being used as a campaign tool especially by the
candidate for the Mhondoro-Mubaira National Assembly by-elections scheduled for
March.
Highlights:
On 4 January 2016, in Kadoma Central a Zanu-PF member and an MDC-T
councillor had a disagreement over people employed by the council. The Zanu-PF
member wanted to employ supporters of his party so he is moving around
disturbing workers claiming that it should be Zanu-PF supporters doing that work.
On 14 January 2016, Stewart Kamudyariwa of the MDC-T allegedly insulted
Tinashe Mhashu (not real name) of Zanu-PF for failing to pay school fees for his
child. Kamudyariwa asked Mhashu how it was possible for him to fail to pay
school fees for his child when he was a member of the ruling party. He accused
him of raising thieves by failing to send his child to school. The incident occurred
at 176 Dombwe Farm.
On 19 January 2016, (around the time when ghastly rumours were circulating that
the President has passed on) Yousouf Tsikai arrived at Xaba Bottle Store at
Dombwe Township, Ward 17 and allegedly started insulting Zanu-PF members
for supporting a ‘dead’ person. It is reported that the Zanu-PF members at the
bottle store just left without saying a word.
From 8 – 18 January in 2016, a voter registration exercise was conducted in
Mhondoro-Mubaira constituency in preparation for by-elections slated for 5
March 2016, to replace recalled MP, Sylvester Nguni. People were forced to
register to vote. They were told that if they did not register to vote they were not
going to benefit from food distributions. Village heads were instructed to tell
people that they should bring their voter registration slips at distribution points.
No registration slip, no food, it was communicated.
On 18 January 2016, in Kebvunde Township in Magunje, Karoi, Chief
Nematombo refused to have Samuel Zaburoni become a village headman because
he is a member of MDC-T. They had an argument for a long time until Zaburoni
took his case to the district administrator’s offices in Karoi. After narrating his
case to the district administrator he was told that they only acted on what they are
informed by the chief. Zaburoni was humiliated by the chief and currently the
village does not have a village head.
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