Highlights:
On 22 March 2016, in Matobo North in a case of intra-party fights within Zanu-PF,
Nathan Zondo (not real name) was expelled from Zanu-PF for allegedly supporting
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa
On 13 March 2016, in Gwanda South, a villager, Ntando Ntsiki (not real name) was
assaulted with a fist by a member of the Zimbabwe National Army identified as
Mkhokheli Ncube when he said President Mugabe should retire as he is too old now.
Ncube declared this was an insult on the President and he punched Ntsiki on the face.
After the assault, which happened at Ntalale Business Centre, Ntsiki fled the scene in
fear of further assault.
(Reported incidences in the provinces were mostly food related. See food violations section
below.)
Midlands
Gweru City Council has in recent times been a major culprit and victim in the intra- and
inter-party politics of Midlands with the MDC-T being the major casualty. The whole fiasco
began with the suspension of the MDC-T councillors followed by government refusal to reinstate them after a ruling in their favour by the High Court and then the re-arrest of the
mayor, Hamutendi Kombayi, on allegations of advancing his political party interests using
council resources. At the same time, Zanu-PF has sunk deeper into intra-party differences
where distinct factions have emerged - the Lacoste, G40 and ZimPF.
Highlights:
In a case of intra-party violence, on 9 March 2016 in Ward 23 in Gokwe Chireya,
Simon Musundiwa (not real name), an MDC-T supporter and a worker at Tsungai
Clinic, was verbally assaulted by Stephen Dhewa of the same party after the victim
refused to campaign and endorse him as a parliamentary candidate for the party in the
2018 elections. It is said Dhewa was infuriated when the victim plainly said he instead
supported an opposing candidate. The victim, Musundiwa, happens to be the
chairperson for MDC-T in the area and has executive powers to endorse or reject
party proposals at district level.
In a case of political intolerance, on 3 March 2016 at Dambudzo Primary School, in
Kwekwe Central, the school conducted elections for a new school development
committee executive. Brian Murefu (Zanu-PF) chased away all known MDC-T
members who wanted to contest the elections. The actor said that the school was built
by a Zanu-PF government and thus cannot be run by sell-outs. Stanford Maundikwa
(not real name) of MDC-T is one of those who were chased away. It is suspected the
school takes its name from Vice President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
On 24 March 2016, Timothy Pamire (Zanu-PF) of Pamire Village, Ward 15 in Gokwe
Nembudziya forced people to attend a Zanu-PF meeting at Nyamhara Primary School.
The incident affected opposition party members mainly MDC-T including Steven
Sandati and Joel Muzanenhamo (not real names). The victims complied due to fear of
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