Midlands
During September, the major highlight in the Midlands province was that of Zanu
PF threatening to unleash vendors and touts in 2023 to intimidate and possibly
assault CCC members. On 14 September, the Zanu PF Midlands Provincial vice
chairperson Edson Chiherenge during the party’s inter-district meeting, said that
all vendors and touts in the province belonged to the ruling party as they were
sons and daughters of the struggle. He added that they would stand and fight for
the province next year as a party. He was quoted saying, “this time the baton stick
is in Midlands, we will defend it no matter what. We are the ones holding the stick,
and no one will take it away,” The statements by the Zanu PF member are likely to
spark violence if not denounced by the party and top leadership. The inter-district
meeting aimed at ‘assessing and strengthening' the party’s districts ahead of the
upcoming 2023 polls, but the statements cannot be associated with
'strengthening' a political formation. This was worrying as in the run-up to
elections, Zanu PF has been accused of abusing government projects to lure
voters into rallying behind the party and perpetrating violence.
In Kana, in the southern part of Gokwe, cases of political intimidation and
harassment aimed at CCC members and supporters were the order of the day
during the month. In ward 1 it was reported that village heads were not allowing
any opposition party to campaign or conduct any activity in their villages. If they
did, they were summoned for a hearing at the ruling party’s offices. On 11
September at St Hugh’s Business Centre, Muayambi Ward 1, Esnath Mpofu, the
Manoti Zanu PF district chairperson, allegedly said that those who would be
suspected of being members of CCC party were going to be listed down and
during the 2023 election they were going to be mandatorily assisted by Zanu PF
leaders to vote. If they refused, they would be assaulted.
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