the million man march in Harare the next day. The operation is reported to have
started at 1600 hours.
On 24 May in Mazowe North, Zanu PF youths are reported to have gone to Forrester
Estates where they asked for a donation of 200 litres of fuel for the One Million Man
March. The farm authorities informed them that they could only donate 25 litres as
they were also struggling financially. In Mvurwi the youths were reportedly forcing
A2 farmers to release their trucks so that they could ferry people to the march. At
Pembi Chase farm in ward 26 at a meeting some A2 farmers were reported to be
refusing to provide transport demanding to know what they were going to benefit.
They youths told them that, ‘kana muri vana mukaramba zvinodiwa nababa namai
vanotora shamhu voranga vana vakadaro saka isu ticharova vanhu vasirikuda
kubatsira chirongwa chavaMugabe (when children go against the instructions of their
parents they deserve punishment in the same way we will beat up anyone who refuses
to contribute towards this initiative).
On 25 May, a farmer at Glengrey farm in Mazowe South was allegedly labelled a sellout and an MDC-T supporter. The victim who is not a Zanu PF follower refused to
attend a Zanu PF meeting as he claimed to be busy in his field. The Zanu PF district
chairperson David Nyamunetsa of Glengrey farm is said to have warned the victim
that action will be taken if he remained an MDC-T party supporter.
On 25 May, all the flea markets and vegetable market stalls were reportedly forced to
close in order for their owners to attend the One Million Man March in Harare. Ward
15 councillor Peter Chinyoka and about twenty Zanu PF youths are reported to have
forced people into the waiting vehicles. People were collected from Dandamera
Shopping Centre in ward 15, Mazowe West.
31 May – The Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ) candidate who is set to battle
it out with Martin Dinha of Zanu PF for the Mazowe North seat is alleged to have
gone into hiding following information that some unknown Zanu PF officials were
looking for him in a bid to force him to withdraw from the race. His whereabouts are
said to be unknown but his relatives in Mvurwi were told by the Zanu PF people to
advise him not to contest against Dinha come 23 July by-election. It is suspected that
Dinha is afraid of losing to the candidate after he was imposed from Bindura to
Mazowe North and this made some of the Zanu PF members unhappy. That is
understood to be the reason why he is using intimidation tactics to instil fear in his
opponent. Mazowe North constituency seat has been vacant since the death of Edgar
Chidavaenzi of Zanu PF on March 17.
Mashonaland East
The majority of reports received from Mashonaland East revolved around the One Million
Man March which was held in Harare on the 25th of May.
Highlights:
18