OCTOBER 2022
Matabeleland North
In Tsholotsho South, at Siyangaya village, a Zanu PF activist identified as
Solani Dube intimidated community members to vote for Zanu PF and those
that fail to participate in the forthcoming activities of the party would be
dealt with and removed in the farming input scheme. Dube intimidated the
villagers whilst wearing his Zanu PF party regalia and carrying cell group
books. Zanu PF continued to use intimidation to campaign. The levels of
political intolerance and hate speech were also on the rise with Frank
Mudimba of MDC-T from Ward 9 threatening to organise thugs to beat up
supporters of the newly formed CCC led by Nelson Chamisa.
Matabeleland South
Thepolitically motivated violence in Matobo and Insiza dominated the
electoral landscape ahead of the by-elections in the province. The violence
with hate speech was perpetrated by suspected Zanu PF supporters in a bid
to block the CCC party from campaigning. On 16 October 8 suspected Zanu
PF youths allegedly attacked CCC members in ward 2, Matobo district during
a voter mobilisation campaign with knobkerries, logs and whips as reported
in our statement[1]. On 17 October, over 80 Zanu PF youths disrupted a rally
and attacked CCC activists in ward 4 of Insiza in Filabusi ahead of the byelection. The assailants used machetes and knobkerries to attack the CCC
supporters. Among some of the victims who sustained injuries is Hon.
Jasmine Toffa who was admitted at a private hospital together with a few
others.
[1] https://twitter.com/zppINFO/status/1582012219612889088?
t=GB8sAf0vd8VgCmFycc-yGg&s=19
The Zimbabwe Peace Project
Monthly Monitoring Report
20