teargas and 14 people were arrested. A growing crowd demanded the release
of those arrested and they were dispersed by riot police using tear gas.
On 20 July, Zanu PF youths staged a march to their party headquarters in
support of President Robert Mugabe and denouncing stayaways. The youths
and ‘war veterans’ were ferried from different parts of the country to join the
march and, in return, were promised residential stands by the ruling party.
Victor Kagamba, the Zanu PF Takawira district chairperson, forced people
who were recently allocated stands to join a march by Zanu PF youths on 20
July 2016 in Epworth ward 5 near the quarry dam. Residents had their names
written down as they were threatened with reposession of stands parceled out
by Zanu PF if they did not attend the march. Commuter buses were hired to
ferry people to town. Some of the people, like Ignatious Chitsike*, who went to
the march had been promised to get a stand.
On 23 July Zanu PF youths were reportedly beaten by MDC-T youths at
Chigovanyika shops in St Mary’s at around 5pm. The youths were retaliating
after Zanu PF youths attacked an MDC-T supporter identified as Tafi*. It is
reported that Tafi had defected to MDC-T from Zanu PF and on this day there
was an MDC-T gathering and Tafi went to Chigovanyika shops wearing MDCT regalia. This reportedly angered Zanu PF youths who started beating Tafi. It
is said messages were sent to the rest of the MDC-T youths by Jairos* and
Mudzingwa* and within minutes the youths arrived and attacked Zanu PF
youths. A Zanu PF chairperson identified as Maposa* was one of the people
who were assaulted but managed to escape while Charles Rodwell* was
heavily assaulted together with other youths. Shops were closed and vendors
had to leave their wares following the fracas. Ronny Konjera*, Timothy
Mugadza* and Wellington Nyoni*, who are MDC-T youths were arrested and
released upon payment of USD50 bail.
Manicaland
Police brutality, denial of freedom to demonstrate, discrimination and denial of food
aid were the major highlights for the month.
The Headmaster of Muzokomba Primary School (Buhera South) Mr
Mashonganyika* and his staff were verbally threatened with unspecified
action by Chipo Chin’ono (Zanu PF) on July 4th after hosting some white
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