Resist, Reject and Report Violence, #RRRV2023
Masvingo
Political space for opposition CCC continues to shrink as Zanu PF limits space for
contestation in Masvingo province using unorthodox means. In Masvingo Urban, the
Zanu PF councillor for Ward 10, Sengerayi Manyanga called on party members to stop
any CCC meetings in their areas using different tactics including booking venues ahead
of the opposition’s proposed programs. Manyanga stated this during a closed-door party
meeting for 24 Affiliates for ED at Charles Austin Theatre in Masvingo drawn from the
province’s seven districts. In Zaka Central, ward 8, the area’s Zanu PF legislator Davison
Svuure turned away the Zanu PF ward councillor, Tererai Tererai at a farming inputs
distribution program at Gwangwava Business Centre. Svuure reportedly took over
presiding over the distribution. This was suspected factional politicisation of aid by Zanu
PF members. Svuure then denigrated Tererai because of his disability by shouting at him
pointing out that he was not going to be ‘ruled by someone with one eye.’
Mashonaland Central
There s increased surveillance of communities by Zanu PF ahead of the 2023 elections.
Wearing of yellow and associating with the Citizen Coalition for Change party is a
punishable offence in Bindura, Mazowe Central, Guruve and some parts of Mt Darwin. A
female CCC activist was harassed by Zanu PF youths led by Simbarashe Gweshe for
wearing a yellow dress. The youths nearly ripped off her dress before some community
members intervened and pleaded on her behalf. In Guruve, a CCC activist was summoned
to Chief Chipuriro‘s court on eviction charges for supporting the opposition CCC. The case
has been pending at the chief’s court since it was escalated to government departments
for intervention. In Rushinga, Zanu PF legislator Tendai Nyabani warned councillors and
traditional leaders not to distribute government inputs to members of opposition
parties.
January 2023
The Zimbabwe Peace Project Monthly Monitoring Report
27