April 2019
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
contesting against their preferred candidate; Stanley Manyenga. In Chinhoyi on 17
April at Chikonohono ward 6 a fist fight broke out during an MDC Provincial
Congress held at the MDC Chinhoyi party offices. MDC Ward Councillor Mercy
Mada (48) had a tussle with Chipo Chitiyo as the two are jostling for the Secretary
General position in the women’s wing. Slogans were chanted against Mada, whose
son Tafadzwa Mada (27) retaliated by attacking her mother’s rival. The matter was
reported to the police leading to the arrest of Tafadzwa Mada.
Zanu PF’s Cell restructuring exercise is currently underway throughout the
country. The existing cells of the party were conceived during former President
Robert Mugabe’s term in office, hence the need to restructure during the incumbent
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term so as to establish new structures. The
process has however been characterised by intimidation as party members are
conducting a door to door exercise and recording people’s identity numbers as well as
addresses. On 28 April at a Zanu PF meeting convened at Kuwadzana West suburbs
around Karigamombe paddocks in ward 3, one of the party chairpersons identified as
Mr Makusha encouraged other party chairpersons to force residents to join ruling
party cell structures. He alleged that the ruling party cells in Kuwadzana did not have
adequate numbers hence the need to recruit more people. There is generally a strong
fear that this exercise will likely be used in future to distribute food to party
supporters while others will be left out, and due to this fear a lot of residents have
opted to join the party’s cell structures.
Freedom of expression is still under attack and it is sad to note that the sanctity of
the Fourth Estate is not fully appreciated by the state apparatus. This was most
evident on 4 April when 263 Chat journalist Lovejoy Jay Mtongwiza was attacked by
the anti riot and municipal police officers for taking pictures during police vendor
raids in the Central Business District (CBD). The journalist was pursued to their
newsroom which was then besieged by the officers. A tear gas canister was then fired
directly at him resulting in an injury. The case was reported at Harare Central police
station under IR040399. In solidarity, fellow journalists marched in protest to Harare
Town House and Central police station to register their displeasure at the unwarranted
treatment of their colleagues by the police officers.
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