Midlands
Denial of access to free government inputs was the major human rights abuse recorded in
November in the province. The denial affected mostly people in the opposition parties
and the discrimination contravened the Universal Declaration of Human Rights mainly
the civil and political rights as well as the Constitution of Zimbabwe Chapter 4 Section 67
which allows citizens to join and participate freely in political parties of their choice. The
denial of seed to potential farmers will lead to a decreased farming acreage in the 2015/16
farming season thereby affecting people’s livelihood and putting a strain on state coffers
as most of these vulnerable groups will look up to the government for assistance.
Highlights:
On 30 November 2015, Senzeni Nyawiri (not real name) an MDC-T
supporter of Machona Village Mberengwa North was verbally harassed
and threatened with physical harm after she attended her party’s rally at
Pamushama Business Centre. The alleged perpetrator, Mpendulo Ndlovu,
reportedly approached the victim soon after the meeting and questioned her
why she had attended an MDC rally. When the victim tried to explain that
she was a member of that political party, the actor said that the area was
now a liberated zone with opposition politics banned.
.
On 28 November 2015, in a case of MDP (malicious damage to property)
Melania Shuro (not real name) of MDC-T from Matiyi Village Ward 11
Mberengwa North had the roof of her house allegedly destroyed by Phimal
Masukume of Zanu-PF after she attended an MDC-T rally at Mataga
Centre. The incident has left the victim and her three children with no roof
during this rainy reason. It is said that the perpetrator went to Shuro’s
house while she had gone to the rally and unthatched her kitchen hut
removing all the grass and roofing timber. When the victim asked why he
had done so, Masukume replied and said, “That’s how MDC-T members
should be treated.”
On 5 November 2015, a teacher at Kasuwe Primary Ward 12 Gokwe
Sesame, was verbally harassed and branded an MDC supporter by Gift
Mudhina, a Zanu-PF youth leader, after he refused to attend Zanu-PF
victory celebrations. On the day, people including teachers were force
marched to the venue of the celebrations Kasuwe Primary by the actor. The
victim refused to attend the celebrations citing lack of interest as the major
reason. The refusal infuriated the perpetrator who responded by calling the
victim a ‘traitor’.
On 26 November 2015 in Gokwe Chireya, there was an MDC-T meeting at
Mutora Business Centre where intra-party violence came to the fore. The
meeting had been called by the provincial leadership, in an effort to deal
23