With the presidential election run-off just 3 weeks away, political violence is reaching new levels of brutality.

On Saturday morning the wife of Patson Chipiro, an MDC district chairman for Mhondoro Ngezi, was brutally murdered by a marauding gang of Zanu PF militants who attacked their village. Chipiro was not at home when the gang arrived and his children fled the scene on seeing the mob. This left Mrs Chipiro on her own and the thugs set about beating her. They then cut off her hands and legs and dragged her body into a kitchen hut, which they set on fire. The MDC said a sack containing her hands and legs was later discovered.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa laid the blame for the attack squarely on Mhondoro Ngezi MP Bright Matonga, who is also the Deputy Minister of Information. He said the thugs are doing Matonga's bidding in the area. Mrs Chipiro is due to be buried on Tuesday. Meanwhile Zanu PF thugs in Harare South set on fire a house belonging to the councillor for ward 1. The councillor, his pregnant wife and their 6-year-old son were all at home at the time of the attack. The 6-year old died in the blaze, the pregnant wife died on her way to hospital, the councillor survived. Over the weekend police in Hatfield were said to be refusing to assist the family in compiling a report, which was also needed to secure a burial order. Harare South Zanu PF MP Hubert Nyanhongo was blamed for the attack.

The past few days have seen a serious escalation of violence, targeting the families of MDC officials. The 78-year-old grandmother of Chamisa, along with his mother and young brother, were severely assaulted when armed soldiers raided their rural homestead in Gutu. The family of MDC MP elect for Mbare in Harare Piniel Denga, was attacked by a group of Zanu-PF supporters at Daybroke resettlement scheme in Chivhu. Several nephews and nieces were force-marched from the family homestead to a torture camp at a place called Chipisa.

Asked whether he thought the violence was meant to bully them into a government of national unity Chamisa said the MDC would not speak to Zanu PF about anything, as long as the violence persisted.

The Kuwadzana East legislator also said the June 27 run off would decide the next government in power and it was up to whoever won the election to form a broad inclusive government. He remained upbeat that despite the violence their supporters would turn out in large numbers to 'finish off' what they started during the March 29 election.