opposition. Police were called in and they calmed the tempers of the two and the
meeting was postponed to a later date.
Midlands
The Province witnessed an arson attack on an opposition party member in Zhombe where two
of the victim’s huts were razed to the ground. Denial of access to food aid to those of a
different political opinion was common, with the state militarizing the distribution of relief
aid.
School buses belonging to school institutions were commandeered to ferry youths and war
veterans to the One Million Man March conducted on 25 May in Harare. It is not clear
whether the organizers of the march were the ones who met the costs of the journey although
information from other provinces points to owners of buses and lorries being made to meet
fuel costs of their vehicles.
Highlights:
On 23 May, an MDC T member of Masvosve village ward 6 Zhombe had his two
huts set on fire by a Zanu-PF activist-Naison Rhumbula Mashavave who is also the
village Head. The actor claimed that he conducted the arson attack as a measure to fix
the victim’s daughter- with whom he was in love. He further claimed that he got
infuriated when the daughter rejected him at a time she had drained him financially. It
is a fact that the victim is well known MDC-T party member. During the 2013
election, he was a party Agent for the aspiring MP. The feud between the two has
political overtones.
In another case of discrimination, on 17 May in Tsunagai village ward 23 Gokwe
Chireya, several people, including five identified victims were denied access to food
aid by Kileto Verengera (Village Head) and Zanu-PF activist. The Headman had been
tasked to list those in need of food aid by an international humanitarian agency. The
actor deliberately left the victims from the list although knowing well that the victims
were also facing starvation.The Actor claimed that the victims do not attend Zanu PF
meetings and so do not deserve the aid.
There are reports of Zanu-PF compiling lists of people 18 years and above for onward
submission of the list to the District Administrator’s Office in Mberengwa. The
Councillor for ward B2 Matarutse Mberengwa announced the program on 26 May
while addressing a ward meeting in Muketi village. The Councillor Allen Mhaka said
that it is a must that all youths of voting age should be included on the list to enable
them cast votes in the 2018 general elections.
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