By Tichaona Sibanda
7 July 2005

Former Zanu (PF) legislator Pearson Mbalekwa, who resigned from the party last week in protest over the controversial clean up operation, believes the party is out to get him.

Officials from the lands ministry raided his farm on Wednesday and confiscated farming equipment allocated to him during government's land seizures five years ago.

Mbalekwa, a former legislator for Zvishavane and a close relative of Emmerson Mnangagwa, is also a former intelligence operative with the CIO.

He told journalists on Wednesday that the raid on his farm was part of a mission to punish him. Mbalekwa added; 'They are out to destroy me'.

Robert Mugabe and his party are well known for dealing ruthlessly with people who desert the party or criticise its policies. One of those who has had to flee from the brutality of the regime after resigning from the army is retired colonel Bernard Matongo.

Colonel Matongo is now based in the UK and says the systematic purging of 'out of favour party members' is an exercise that scares the rest from speaking out against Zanu (PF).

He resigned from the army after protesting against the brutality of the military when quelling food riots in 1997. He was demonised by fellow army officers, which led him to resign. This was the start of his problems because no-one goes against the rules of the army in Zimbabwe.