included people in Mazowe West and Mt Darwin South being forced to contribute towards
Independence Day celebrations. A member of ZimPF had his house burnt by Zanu-PF
supporters for defecting to the new party. Another man was also barred from working in the
green market for defecting to ZimPF by Zanu PF youths. MDC-T supporters continue to be
discriminated against from getting food aid due to their political affiliation.
Highlights:
On 9 April 2016 at around 10am, Zanu-PF chairperson Andrew Muswaka and eight
councillors of wards 15, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 of Mazowe West constituency
called for a meeting at Dandamera Community Hall in Ward 15. In that meeting the
chairperson instructed the councillors to forcibly collect money from people for
Independence Day celebrations. They were told that US$1 from ordinary person and
US$2 from a teacher. And whoever resisted paying had his name written down for a
future unspecified punishment.
On 9 April 2016, in Mudzi South, Ward 12 village head of Chonzi, Howard
Bvunzawabaya, addressed a meeting telling people that the village was a Zanu-PF
village and anyone who supported the opposition should immediately change to ZanuPF.
On 13 April 2016, a ZimPF member, Antony Kambaza (48), of Freza Farm, Ward
20 in Bindura North had his house and motor bike burnt by Zanu-PF supporters. He
reported the case at Chiwaridzo Police Station in Bindura and some of the
perpetrators were arrested the same day in the afternoon. Jealous Mawarire, Media
Relations Officer at ZimPF, confirmed the incident, and explained that Kambaza was
a nephew to ZimPF leader, Mujuru, and so was targeted for that reason.
In Mt Darwin South on 14 April 2016, people were being forced to pay US$1 for
Independence Day celebrations by the local Zanu-PF leadership. Those who failed to
pay were told that they were not going to get maize from social welfare the following
month.
On 15 April 2016 in Chomagora Village in Mt Darwin South, William Makuti (35)
was made to pay US$2 for the Independence Day celebrations by Amos Banda.
Amos Banda is said to have allegedly wanted to fix the victim for being an MDC-T
supporter by having him pay US$2 instead of a dollar.
On 15 April 2016, one, Tichafa was harassed by Zanu-PF youths at Chipadze green
market in Bindura. The youths went to the market in a green pick-up truck and
allegedly started chanting Zanu-PF slogans and denouncing Joice Mujuru and her
followers including Tichafa. They told Tichafa that he was not going to work in the
green market again because it belongs to Zanu PF. Tichafa used to be a Zanu-PF
supporter but defected to ZimPF. Tichafa has stopped working in the green market
due to fear.
On 18 April 2016, Zanu-PF youths caused havoc at Dandamera Township in Ward 15
at around 8am when they forced the vendors and flea market owners to leave their
stalls and board a lorry to attend Independence Day celebrations. The celebrations
were in Mvurwi.
It is reported that Godfrey Karenga a former Ward 7 councillor has not been paid his
allowances for 12 months by the Muzarabani District Council allegedly because he
belongs to the MDC-T party. He is receiving threats and is being discriminated from
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