OCTOBER 2022 Mashonaland East Human rights violations were on the rise during the month of October in the province which made the environment very volatile. Murehwa and Mudzi were the provincial hotspots with cases of intimidation and harassment against CCC supporters going up. On 25 October a pastor was threatened, harassed and intimidated by Zanu PF activists at Wedza Business Centre in Ward 14 Wedza North. The man was labelled a CCC member for singing the popular hymn “Jesu inumber 1” and pointing his index finger in the sky during the anti-sanctions march. He was accused by Zanu PF youth only identified as Karenga of portraying a CCC hand symbol and harassed the pastor threatening him with nonspecific action. The political situation in Mashonaland Province has the potential to brew serious inter-party fights as the country braces for harmonised elections next year. Mashonaland West October was a difficult month politically and socially for citizens within the province. The operating environment for opposition parties in Hurungwe and other areas across the province continued to shrink as Zanu PF reportedly fielded terror groups as gate keepers. Artisanal miners were also used to terrorise individuals suspected to be opposition members. In Chegutu and Kadoma a terror group popularly known as team Barca reportedly terrorised citizens while in Hurungwe there is the FAZ (Zvidhoma) organized terror group. Learners across Mashonaland West were turned away from schools over tuition and levy arrears. On 12 October at Mupawose Primary School Ward 1 in Muzvezve the headmaster and the School Development Committee Chairperson Mr Sengu turned away pupils over non-payment of tuition and levies top-ups of 10 800 RTGS and USD $12 building fund. Prior to turning away pupils, the school head and parents held a meeting over the tuition and levy top ups which ended prematurely as the two parties failed to agree. The Zimbabwe Peace Project Monthly Monitoring Report 19

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