Zimbabwe political violence likely to continue closer to elections

The Zimbabwe Telegraph, by NOZIPHO MASEKO, February 9, 2011

Epworth – Youths in Epworth have vowed to remain vigilant in the face of brutal and violent attacks by Zanu PF thugs and state security agents despite being displaced from their homes and now camped in the bushes.

There have been reports of political violence in Epworth involving youths from Zanu PF and the MDC and in most instances the latter group has been forced to retaliate to the violence orchestrated against its members. The New Age Voices correspondent in Epworth caught up with some of the youth who have been displaced and have sought refuge in nearby bushes and they declared that they have a moral obligation to defend their rights as well as the rights and dignity of their communities.

“We have managed to rescue some of our colleagues who were abducted on Sunday and illegally detained at Zanu PF bases and we also managed to break up some of the violent campaigns which had resulted in the destruction and looting of our property,” said one of the youth who refused to be named for fear of victimization. The youths also alleged that there were police details and army officers who were frequenting the Zanu PF bases and this had forced them to flee their communities.

Violence is alleged to have escalated after Ambassador Amos Midzi, a former Zanu PF cabinet minister and Zanu PF chairman for Harare Province, addressed a meeting on Sunday 6 February 2011 at Epworth Secondary School. Youth militias who attended the meeting then went on a rampage and destroyed flea market stalls which are being constructed in Wards 2, 5 and 6 under the Constituency Development Fund. The youth militias were singing songs and chanting slogans which were denouncing Hon. Elias Jembere of the MDC who had initiated the project. Ambassador Amos Midzi of Zanu PF lost in the 2008 elections to Hon. Elias Jembere. As if that was not enough the marauding youths went on to destroy houses owned by MDC activists and its suspected sympathisers and looted their household goods. Some of the people who lost their properties are Rutendo Bvute, Lewis Mutugwi, Takaguta Chikanga and Timothy Saramunda.

Zanu PF has set up two torture bases in Ward 7 and our investigations have shown that one of the bases is located at a house owned by Joana Mawire who is also the councillor for Ward 7 and another one is located at a house owned by Makandira who is the Zanu PF youth chairperson for Ward 7.

Political tensions remain high in Ward 7 of Epworth which is the most volatile community due to its high population density, lack of proper sanitation and infrastructure and is largely comprised of illegal structures [shacks and shanty structures].