Three MDC officials killed in army petrol bomb attack
By Lance Guma
04 June 2008

Zanu PF militants wearing army uniforms petrol bombed an MDC office at Jerera growth point in Masvingo killing 3 officials on Tuesday. A statement from the MDC said a truckload of militants arrived at the party offices at midnight and fired shots into the building. The attackers later petrol bombed the building that was also housing victims of political violence in the area. At least 4 activists are missing and presumed dead while another 2 suffered critical injuries and are detained at St Anthony’s Musiso Hospital. The charred remains of 3 bodies lay on the floor in the burnt out MDC offices and all had bullet wounds.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told Newsreel they were still awaiting the positive identification of the deceased before they could release their names. He described the attack on their offices in the Zaka district as being part of an ongoing Zanu PF campaign of violence that has so far claimed the lives of 53 activists. He explained that since Morgan Tsvangirai’s historic win over Robert Mugabe in the March 29th election, Zanu PF has targeted specific areas for violent retributions. He cited, Zaka, Uzumba, Murehwa, Mutoko, Mudzi, Buhera, Makoni, Mutasa, Hurungwe, Kadoma, Chegutu, Zvimba North, Shamva, Mazowe, Mount Darwin and Muzarabani as examples.

The MDC dismissed prospects for a free and fair election arguing, ‘our people continue to be killed, brutalised and maimed. Armed militia have brought the specter of death in both rural and urban homes, forcing the victors in the last election to flee into the mountains.’ The MDC says villagers are being required to produce Zanu PF ‘passes’ if they want to move from one village to another. It added that thousands of homes have been torched countrywide with Zanu PF showing no shame or compassion in its ‘barbaric onslaught on innocent citizens for expressing their sovereign will on March 29th.’
The party also accused Mugabe of trying to masquerade as a victim of the violence when in fact he was the perpetrator. The state owned media was accused of fanning the violence by using hate speech against the MDC in their lopsided coverage. ‘The MDC is appealing to SADC, the African Union and the international community to take a tough stance against the regime in order to allow the people of Zimbabwe to freely express themselves once again on 27th June 2008,’ an MDC statement read.