could not immediately ascertain whether or not, people from other
parties were sanctioned in the same manner.
In the first week of October, legislator of Hurungwe East, Sarah Mahoka,
is said to have told a constituency meeting that she had a list of Zanu-PF
members who do not support the First Lady. She said that farmers who
were against the First lady would be evicted from their land. She also
announced that Zanu-PF was in an election mode and threatened people
opposing the First Lady with severe beating and heavy political
persecution. When ZPP called Mahoka to verify, she cut the phone upon
hearing the question.
In Pfupajena, Chegutu Zanu-PF elections became so chaotic with Ben
Zvoto (not real name) involved in campaigning for a candidate was
threatened with death by one, Phinias Vhurumundu. Vhurumundu who
was campaigning as vice chair openly told Ben that he could lose his life.
Efforts to get a comment from Vhurumundu were not fruitful by the time
of going to print.
On 24 October 2015, during ward elections at Waverley Primary School,
Zanu-PF supporters were involved in fist fights. Supporters of two
contestants for the youth chairperson position - Cos Rules and Tafadzwa
Muduuri – engaged in fist fights. The election had to be discontinued due
to the disorder and violence.
Masvingo
Masvingo is the only province where the Mujuru faction has resisted
annihilation. The current restructuring exercise has seen the faction emerging
stronger with its members getting most of the influential posts much to the
dismay and wishes of the powers that be. The faction has had its own
hardliners in the likes of former Provincial Affairs Minister, Kudakwashe
Bhasikiti; Retired Major, Calisto Gwanetsa; and former Energy Minister,
Dzikamai Mavhaire. These gurus have built themselves a strong political power
base which is seen as difficult to dismantle. It remains to be seen if these
victors from the Mujuru faction will survive another day.
On the other hand, the hard pressed communities are being forced to pay
development and cattle levy before year end as a ‘passport’ to access
government subsidised agricultural inputs in the 2015/16 farming season. This is
happening despite the fact that the year has been a difficult one with the
majority of companies scaling down on labour. To the peasant farmer, it has
been a dry season with most farmers harvesting nothing in the 2014/2015
farming season.
24