with 10 ruling party youths at midnight armed with sjamboks, machetes and catapults. They
assaulted him for wearing an MDC T-shirt, fortunately the victim escaped but the youths pursued
him with stones and catapults. In Mhondoro Mubaira in Makaki Village Ward 29 on 11 July a
suspected MDC activist was assaulted and choked by Chief Ngezi (Peter Pamire) (39). The victim
was forcefully evicted from her farm by Chief Ngezi on allegations that she was an MDC activist. A
violent verbal fight broke out resulting in Chief Ngezi assaulting, shoving and choking the victim as
she resisted the eviction. On 12 July 2019 in Ward 12 of Mt Darwin East at Mutyandaedza village,
a villager was denied agricultural land by village head Aleck Mutyandaedza. Mutyandaeza told the
individual that they will not get a piece of land under his jurisdiction for supporting the opposition
MDC.
In Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe at Nyahungwe Village Ward 6 on 8 July a villager was evicted and
intimidated by Itai Mupfava and Ishmael Mazarura. The victim was told to produce his national
identity card and his Zanu PF membership card, which he failed to produce. He was immediately
evicted from the village and accused of being an opposition supporter.
Intra-party Conflict is sadly prevalent in both the ruling party and opposition MDC. Incidents
recorded this month uncover internal strife in both political parties which sadly do not augur well in
demonstrating the parties as torch bearers of building peace.
Chaotic scenes were reported on 17 July 2019 during Zanu PF district elections held in Hatfield at
Komboniyatsva in Ward 1. Contestants for the district positions were Simon Kuipa, Brian Jangira,
Emma Mabika and Tonderai Nyongo. Party youths clashed on allegations of vote buying and
rigging. A rerun facilitated by Mr Mhlanga was also marred with violence as people refused to
acknowledge the winner identified as Emma on allegations of vote rigging, as most ballot papers
were in her favour yet she was not known within the party structures.
A Zanu PF cell restructuring exercise held in Mabvuku Tafara at Old Tafara community centre in
Ward 46 was marred by violence resulting in the postponement of the process. On 14 July 2019,
party youths gathered to vote for a chairperson but allegations of vote buying forced the election to
be postponed. Aspiring party chairperson Shupikai Nyakabau allegedly connived with youth
chairperson Victor Nyandoro, to mobilise Ward 20 party youths to vote for her. This reportedly did
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