SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe
The police in Zimbabwe’s north eastern district of Manicaland province have refused to assist a traditional leader who supports the MDC-T, following threats of eviction by war vets and ZANU PF thugs. According to Peter Savanhu, a local activist from Chimanimani, police at Cashel Valley told Headman Chikware to comply with orders to vacate his homestead and ‘move in’ with party leader Morgan Tsvangirai in Harare. Chikware is the MDC-T organizing secretary for Chimanimani. Savanhu told SW Radio Africa that Chikware was visited Sunday by Headman Nyabvuti, who was accompanied by war vet Joseph Mushango and ZANU PF youth leader Eucklad Mugede. Savanhu said the trio threatened Chikware and accused him of bringing MDC-T votes to the area. They told him he had to go. Chikware’s wife, who served as a polling agent for the MDC-T in the elections on 31st July, was also told to leave the area along with her family. The ZANU PF supporters said they would return to evict the whole family if they don’t leave voluntarily. They did not specify when. Savanhu said Chikware reported the threats to police at Cashel Valley station in Chimanimani and they suggested that he “just do what ZANU PF wants and leave”. He added that police in Chimanimani have never assisted MDC-T supporters who are victimized by ZANU PF thugs.“After every election people are beaten in retribution, their property is destroyed and others are evicted from the area. The police never do anything to help them. This has been the trend here,” Savanhu explained. The affected districts include Nedzihwa, Mutambu and Bvumbura. The activist narrated how over 500 people in Mutambu district were forced to say they could not write and were assisted to vote by designated ZANU PF officials.