Some stalls that are visible along the road to Sakubva
stadium were demolished in preparation for the rally.
executive youth member, Knowledge Nyamhuka, urged
school children and vendors in Mutare not to leave their
homes on Friday to avoid being forced to attend the
Zanu PF rally. This came after the Zanu PF provincial
youth chairperson Chingono and the Chikanga/
Dangamvura MP Mupfumi had earlier indicated that
they were going to force people to attend the rally. It is
alleged that Nyamhuka said this when addressing the
party supporters and other residents at the MDC-T
meeting held at their provincial offices located at
Number 2 Darlington in ward 10 of Mutare Central
constituency.
Manicaland Minister for Provincial Affairs, Chimene, is
alleged to have ordered Mutare Teachers College and
Mutare Technical College administration to bus students
to clean up Mutare in preparation for the presidential
youth interface. The students complained that they had
not been informed in advance and had to miss lessons
the whole day on 14 June. Students from Mutanda,
Chisamba, Dangare primary as well as Sakubva and
Elise Gledhill secondary schools were forced to attend
the presidential youth interface.
Informal traders’ stalls demolished in preparation for
the rally in Mutare (Picture by ZPP)
On 13 June 2017 Zanu PF chairperson Mukono went
around markets in ward 3 of Mutasa, Mutare Central in
the company of approximately 200 Zanu PF youths
ordering vendors not to sell their wares starting from 14
to 16 June in preparation for the rally. Mutare vendors
and residents were forced to clean Sakubva stadium, the
venue for the Zanu PF presidential youth interface. Zanu
PF supporters also allegedly threatened to assault people
who failed or refused to help clean up ward 3 of Mutare
Central constituency.
In Makoni South, Manicaland Province on 22 and 23
June there was a farm invasion and farm workers were
left homeless and stranded. The tobacco growing
Lesbury Farm which belongs to Robert Smart and his
son Darrell was invaded by Bishop Trevor Manhanga.
This is despite that the Smart family has owned the farm
since the 1930s. After the farm workers contested the
authenticity of the eviction notice, Manhanga used three
trucks loaded with people from the deputy sheriff, police
officers from Rusape Police Station and members of the
Support Unit Department to evict the farm dwellers.
Farm workers’ property was also removed from their
houses and scattered outside the farm.
In ward 10 of Mutare Central, vendors’ stalls were
destroyed by Zanu PF youths in the build up to the June
16 rally. It was reported that on 14 June at around 1am,
suspected Zanu PF youths demolished all vending stalls
around Bata and Friendly supermarket in Mutare
Central. It was then said that all vendors’ commodities
were left scattered everywhere and their tables allegedly
set on fire.
At Watsomba Business Centre in ward 21 of Mutasa
Central, unidentified Zanu PF youths were demanding
$2 from each vendor at the business centre on 14 June. It
was reported that they were saying the money is going to
be used for fuel to bus people from Mutasa to Sakubva
stadium.
Property of Lesbury farm workers that was damaged and
dumped outside Lesbury farm (Picture by ZPP)
On 14 June it was reported that an MDC-T national
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