Provincial
Highlights
7.3
Mashonaland
East
The political atmosphere
in Mashonaland East
remained volatile in
October, marked by
intense campaigning by
Zanu PF and the targeting
of opposition political
party supporters.
Zanu PF has always used aid as a tool
for coercion especially in rural
communities where disposable
incomes are very low.
using all means, often brutal, to
position themselves as the party
prepares for an elective congress in
2022 and general elections in 2023.
According to a Unicef report, in
Zimbabwe, an estimated 6.8 million
people, including 2.8 million children,
are in urgent need of humanitarian
assistance in 2021 due to multiple
hazards, including COVID- 19 and the
economic crisis.
Traditional leaders remained part of
the political matrix, and abused their
roles by being partisan, in
contravention of the Constitution,
which clearly states that traditional
leaders are supposed to be apolitical.
As government rolled out its
In rural Mudzi, Murehwa and
It is this vulnerability that the ruling
Pfumvudza agricultural inputs
Marondera, councillors, Zanu PF
party has continued to exploit, using
scheme, councillors colluded with
officials and activists intimidated MDC food aid as a political weapon to
Zanu PF ward chairpersons to
Alliance activists, with emphasis that
coerce people to gain political support. discriminate opposition political party
by not supporting or being part of
supporters and the trend was
Far from the intimidation over aid,
Zanu PF, the villagers risked not
observed across the entire province.
there were numerous incidents of
benefitting from any government
intra-party violence, especially in
assistance programs.
Uzumba, where Zanu PF activists were