arrested. Hours later ZimPF continued with their rally since they had informed the
police about the meeting.
On 31 March 2016, Zanu-PF supporters called people for a development meeting for
small to medium scale enterprises, which was supposed to be officially opened by
Harare Resident Minister, Miriam Chikukwa, at the Resource Centre in Ward 2,
Epworth. People gathered to attend the meeting, which was not even known by the
local authority. People were forced to denounce MDC-T and ZimPF. Zanu-PF
supporters later argued among themselves over the planning of the meeting. The
meeting had to be abandoned.
On 31 March 2016, a monthly meeting was held in Parkridge under Kuwadzana
constituency with the residents. Committee chairperson, Tauya Mauya, started the
meeting with Zanu-PF slogans and told the people that those who were not Zanu-PF
should surrender their stands. Susan Munjeyi (not real name) an MDC-T activist was
identified as one of the people to lose her stand. She was seen attending a meeting
with her MDC-T colleagues. At the time of going to print she had not had her stand
taken but the threat still remains.
On 31 March 2016, it was reported that Zanu-PF youths were putting up an office in
Ward 13 in Chitungwiza that was just like the ones that were used as terror bases in
2008. It is also said that the same structure is there in Ward 16 Unit J in Chitungwiza.
Though it is openly used for carpentry, the suspicion is that under cover the structure
would have another covert use.
Manicaland
There has been harassment and forced participation in government and party-initiated
activities in the province
There are reports of gross human rights abuses in the Chiadzwa diamond mining area in
Marange as the state tries to deal with illegal panners who had thronged the fields after the
expulsion of the diamond mining companies. From the state’s point of view it is said the
expulsion is motivated by the idea to amalgamate the various entities into one so as to deal
with leakages. On the political front, it is believed the whole idea is to deny ZimPF and cut
off its funding source as some of that party’s gurus own mining rights in the area through
some of the diamond mining companies.
At the same time, there have been reprimands targeted at those that have allowed opposition
parties to access the communities in their campaign and mobilisation drive.
Highlights:
On 22 March 2016, in Mutare West Ward 10 at Zeda Primary, every teacher at the
school was ordered by Zanu-PF to pay US$1-00 each towards the Independence
celebrations. The instructions were relayed through the school head who passed the
message on to the teachers. The instruction has affected other schools in the ward
including Nzvenga, Mafararikwa, Gwindingwi and Masharu. The instruction has
come despite the economic hardships facing the generality of the population.
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