scrambling for the right to represent the party with those who were accused of belonging to the
faction led by former Vice President Mujuru being dropped from the contest.
The MDC-T internal fights continued unabated with Members of Parliament (MP) Thabitha Khumalo,
Dorcas Sibanda and Senator Matson Hlalo being targeted by those suspected to be in MDC-T Vice
President Thokozani Khuphe’s camp. Inter party tensions heightened when MDC-T and Zanu PF
activists traded insults as MDC-T was campaigning for its “no reforms no election” stance and also
when they were urging vendors not to vacate their trading places.
In Bulawayo East on 25 June 2015 just a day before the government’s ultimatum on the removal of
all vendors from the pavements of urban centres expired, MDC-T deployed its activists to distribute
flyers in Mahatshula urging the vendors to stay put. Two young MDC-T activists who both reside at
Killarney Squatter Camp were distributing the flyers at Mahatshula shopping centre when they were
verbally insulted and threatened with beatings by four Zanu PF activists Gift Sibanda aged 28 years,
Mbonisi Ndlovu aged 31 years, Stephen and Jafet Dube in their late twenties. The matter was not
reported to police as the two victims just fled the area.
Mashonaland East
Mashonaland East was a hive of activity as preparation for Zanu PF Provincial committee elections
which were due to take place in July. Candidates were forwarded from districts to contest the
provincial elections. The main candidates for the post of provincial chair were Joel Matiza, Aeneas
Chigwedere and Edgar Mbwembwe. At grassroots level cell and branch elections took place in
Marondera West and Mudzi North. Mudzi North legislator Milton Kachepa imposed a cell chair by
declaring that an activist only identified as Kufakwemba should be the cell chair on 16 June at
Nyamuyarutsa business centre in Kotwa. People were forced to attend these cell formation meetings
at Mahusekwa in Marondera West and in Mudzi North.
On 6 June elections were held for Hwedza Zanu PF District committee and officials in charge of the
elections were to come from Masvingo. Before their arrival chaos broke out as Zanu PF youths sang
revolutionary songs denouncing one of the candidates identified as Chigodora. They labelled him
“gamatox” (a derogatory term for a faction belonging to former Vice President Mujuru).This group
was in favour of Fungai Muhammad who was also said to be favoured by the top party leaders.
Muhammad bought beer for the youth. The situation was chaotic and violent such that officials from
Masvingo postponed the election to 20 June 2015.Chigodora eventually won the election.
The removal of vendors in Harare streets also greatly affected Mashonaland East as a number of
vendors are from Goromonzi district. There was a meeting in Goromonzi West where vendors were
addressed by Tapiwa Murima a ZIMRIGHTS representative in the area. They wanted to be linked
with the National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe. They expressed their disappointment at what they
called being short changed by Goromonzi council where they claim to pay between $2 and $3 a day
for the open ground they use to sell their vegetables before they are taken to Harare. Airtime
vendors pay $60 to $90 a month that is collected by officials from the District Administrator’s (DA)
offices in Goromonzi South. Vendors feel the money should be collected by local the MP to construct
their shades. Unfortunately the council sidelines the local councilor Taurai Clifford Nhambura
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