Godfrey Mutimba and Walter Marwizi
21 June 2008
Harare — ZANU PF militias, youths and war veterans have invaded the MDC stronghold of the urban areas, laying siege to towns and cities, previously largely untouched by the violence raging in the rural areas.
The signs of their heavy presence are evident in both high and low-density suburbs, and in the streets and along the roads.
On Wednesday morning, four MDC supporters were found dead, a day after they had been abducted in Unit F in Chitungwiza. This raised the death toll blamed on Zanu PF by the MDC to 70.
On Thursday night, MDC supporters were attacked in Mbare, Rugare, Warren Park, and Dzivarasekwa by the Zanu PF militia code-named Chipangano ("our agreement").
In Dzivarasekwa, Zanu PF militias, accompanied by people in army uniforms were last week ordering residents to remove their satellite dishes or risk attacks or even murder.
Most Harare high-density residents were forced to attend night meetings(pungwes) where they are ordered to sing Zanu PF songs praising Mugabe and Zanu PF.
At these meetings residents have come to realise the importance of knowing Zanu PF slogans.
"All those who do not know Zanu PF slogans are assaulted in public. Even commuter buses are forced to pull off the road and commuters ordered to chant Zanu PF slogans. It's so degrading," said one Dzivarasekwa resident.
In a commuter bus halted near Rufaro stadium on Friday, three women found themselves in trouble after they failed to identify "WW" -- a Zanu PF slogan for "Win or War". They could not identify "PNG" -- Penzura negidi hazvienderane (A pen is not equivalent to a gun).
Two men in another commuter bus were beaten up after they failed to chant the "27 JMM TM, MK" slogan (27 June, Mugabe Muoffice -- Tsvangirai Muoffice, Mugabe kuHondo).
The youths forced commuter bus operators to reduce their fares to $500 million and stick Mugabe's campaign posters on their buses. For their safety, they also have to wear Zanu PF T-shirts.
The terror campaign has spawned a demand for Zanu PF cards, now fetching as much as R100 on the black market.
Flea market operators, who could lose their stalls, are scrambling for the cards in most suburbs.
In Magada in Epworth, there were many reports of attacks by "war veterans" and Zanu PF youths on suspected MDC supporters. Several houses were burnt down and many people ended up in hospital. Militias told residents the settlement would be destroyed if Mugabe lost the election.
In Mabelreign, Zanu PF youths sang all night on Sunday, threatening war. Residents woke up to see Mugabe's campaign posters under their doors and pasted on their vehicles.
In New Alex Park, "war veterans" called a meeting at the corner of Swan and Borrowdale Roads on Thursday, to tell domestic workers the "dead people at Chimoio" were not happy Zimbabweans wanted to give land back to the whites.
To appease them, they instructed the workers "to vote Zanu PF", not at Hellenic Club or Alex Park (the polling stations) but at a secret tent which would be erected on the day of the election.
Violence was not limited to Harare. Zanu PF took hold of Kadoma city after Mugabe addressed a rally at Rimuka stadium on Monday. They stoned 12 houses and beat up several people suspected of opposition sympathies.
Ketai Makodza, the MDC Mashonaland West party chairman, said the youths barricaded the Kadoma-Sanyati road, stopping motorists and forcing them to chant Zanu PF slogans. They assaulted anyone who didn't sound convincing.
MDC spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa condemned the violence, saying Zanu PF was resurrecting the violent tactics of the Smith regime.
Chamisa said scores of MDC supporters in Zaka, Nyanga, Bikita, Chiweshe and Gutu were now living in the nearby mountains, fearing for their lives.
The deputy minister of Information and Publicity, Bright Matonga yesterday accused The Standard of negative reporting.
"You always report negative stories about our party and I have never seen a report about MDC assaulting Zanu PF supporters in your paper. You need to report about that if you want my comment," Matonga said.
War veterans' leader Jabulani Sibanda denied they had set up bases in Harare.
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