#PROVINCIAL OUTLOOK
Mashonaland East
Rape has been used as tool for
political coercion in Zimbabwe’s
elections and on 4 January, a 28year-old Zanu PF youth (name
supplied) at Goso Village in Ward 5
of Murehwa North, attempted to
rape a 70-year-old woman.
The Zanu PF youth reportedly
sneaked into the woman’s house at
night and attempted to rape her
before she raised alarm.
The assailant sneaked out, but part
of his clothes remained, leading to
his identification. Villagers reported
the matter to the police but no
arrests were made at the time of
writing of this report.
Meanwhile, as Zanu PF conducted its
preparations for primary elections,
villagers in some parts of the
province were coerced to be part of
the processes, and Zanu PF officials
promised to unleash violence on
those who intended to vote for other
political parties.
This is one of the worrying trends in
Mashonaland East Province, which
has been the bedrock of political
suppression since 2000.
For example, on 25 January in
Mutoko South at Kushinga Business
Centre Ward 26, a Zanu PF ward
councillor only identified as
Musakwa forced villagers to convene
to receive Pfumvudza fertilizers and
Zanu PF activists hijacked the
process and instead dished out only
to party supporters, leaving the rest.
Mashonaland West
Political activity remained
pronounced in the province and
with it came some violations.
The major highlight was in Banket,
where Zanu PF activists assaulted an
activist of the Citizens Coalition for
Change (CCC), Sosana Churu as she
worked in her field at Trilona Farm
in Banket. The assailants reportedly
used a hammer to crush Sosana
Churu's fingers and according to
her, the crime was her support for
the opposition. In Chinhoyi, the
Zanu PF primary elections were
reportedly conducted in a disorderly
manner. On 25 January during the
Zanu PF primary elections held in
Chinhoyi at Chinhoyi Primary
School, it is alleged that, voting at
Chinhoyi Primary School started
around 1pm as the process was
delayed by some skirmishes. Around
11 in the morning Simon Mkondo a
tout reportedly brought about 20
other touts at the polling station
and forcefully took and tore all ward
and cell structure sheets as he
wanted to impose Ignatius Zvigadza
a fellow tout for the local authority
position. The Police were then
engaged and restored order. New
sheets were then printed and voting
commenced. No arrests or injuries
were reported. .
.
Bulawayo
Following the announcement that
by-elections were to be held on
March 26, several political parties
became more visible preparing the
stage for campaigns and the
nomination court process. Zanu PF
conducted its primary elections for
national assembly and local
government seats. Although, there
was no violence across the process,
there were reports of vote buying
and other manipulative processes
and there is a genuine worry that
such malpractices might be
witnessed in the by-elections and
the 2023 harmonized elections.
Police brutality remained high
despite a relaxation of lockdown
measures. There were renewed
tribalistic undertones as some
organizations and individuals have
been on the crusade, denouncing
anyone without a Ndebele surname
While there are some tribal
imbalances that need addressing, it
remains a human rights violation to
discriminate one based on tribe,
culture and religion among other
things. We call on the National Peace
and Reconciliation Commission to
act according to their mandate and
ensure that the situation is resolved.
Matabeleland North and South
Provinces
The formation of the new party, CCC
party resulted in some conflict
among opposition supporters. In
Ward 9 of Binga North, one Japhet
Siansipa of the MDC-T threatened to
organize thugs to beat supporters of
CCC and it appears the split
between Mwonzora and Khupe over
the leadership of the MDC-T, and
the CCC is spilling to the grassroots,
where supporters are engaging in
violence.
ZPP has always called for peaceful
contestation and continues to urge
the three opposition leaders,
Chamisa, Mwonzora and Khupe to
urge their supporters in the
province and beyond to disagree
peacefully.
Meanwhile on 8 January, in ward 4
of Binga North, Zanu PF activists
identified as Sizani Ngulube, Prisca
Ndlovu, Sithulile Mpofu and Tegu
Ngulube seized the official
beneficiary lists from the local
VIDCO officials, intending to
manipulate the process and and
favour Zanu PF supporters. Police
had to intervene and they ordered
the truck to go back without
offloading the aid, resulting in all
failing to benefit.
The police should have maintained
order and allowed for the
distribution of aid using the official
lists held by the VIDCO officials.
Across the two provinces, there was
general intimidation of opposition
supporters and in Siyangaya village,
a Zanu PF activist, Mandla Lifa, while
donning Zanu PF regalia, intimidated
villagers at the local shops and said
community members are supposed
to vote for Zanu PF and those that
fail to participate in the forthcoming
activities of the party would be dealt
with and removed from the farming
input scheme. It is held that Lifa
said all this wearing party regalia
and even emphasizing his points
carrying cell group books.