SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe
Two Mberengwa women were left partially naked after ZANU PF activists ripped their tops off, accusing them of giving birth to ‘sell-outs’.
The incident took place on Thursday at Makuverere Business Centre in Mberengwa South, during a meeting called by the councillor for Ward 24.
An MDC-T official told SW Radio Africa correspondent Lionel Saungweme that ZANU PF Councillor Vakai Makuverere had called the meeting as part of a wider retributive campaign to flush out all MDC-T supporters from the area.
The two victims were identified as Mai Godhi and Mai Daniel Shumba, mothers to MDC-T activists Doreen Chihwahwa and Anna Shumba, respectively.
According to the MDC-T official, Makuverere encouraged ZANU PF youths to manhandle the two women whom he accused of mothering sellouts. Speaking in Shona, Makuverere is alleged to have shouted: “Batai vanamai vezvimbasungata.”
“MDC-T supporters fear that that this is the beginning of post-election retributions which will be followed by evictions. The councillor was clear at the meeting that that he wanted to get rid of all MDC-T supporters from his Ward ,” Saungweme said.
The women did not report the matter to the police, for fear of being subjected to further humiliation and victimisation.
In the period running up to the election, there were reports of intimidation and harassment of MDC-T supporters at Mandava Business Centre, also in the same constituency.
On Friday, SW Radio Africa reported how MDC-T activist Tsaurai Makadaya, was abducted in Mhondoro a day after the July 31st election. He was tortured for five days, allegedly on the orders of ZANU PF headman Geoffrey Mutete.
In a video posted online, Makadaya and some of his relatives narrate his ordeal at the hands of the ZANU PF agents who said they were punishing him for being an MDC-T polling agent. Makadaya was eventually dumped about 12km from his homestead in Mashonaland West, after Mutete decided not to have him killed.