MDC activist survives deadly axe attack in Muzarabani

By Tichaona Sibanda
8 July 2009

A Muzarabani man, a victim of last year’s political violence, is lucky to be alive after surviving another political motivated attack in which he was struck with an axe two weeks ago.

The man, who was seriously injured, was walking home after he had served a summons on a ZANU PF supporter who burnt down his homestead and looted livestock and household property. SW Radio Africa is withholding the victim’s name to protect him as he is still receiving treatment at a Harare hospital.

But his attackers have been identified as Reason Kadira and Funny Chigogo, both from Muzarabani. The two well known ZANU PF loyalists set upon the MDC activist on 26th June near the Musingwa bridge, after he served a summons on Kadira from the small claims court, for compensation for lost property and livestock.

Kadira was reportedly left fuming for being singled out from a group of other ZANU PF youths who went on a rampage during the pre-election violence period. Our Harare correspondent Simon Muchemwa told us Kadira proceeded to arm himself with an axe and asked Chigogo to help him track down the MDC activist.

‘They followed the MDC activist and caught up with him near the Musingwa river bridge. One of the men repeatedly aimed the axe to the unsuspecting MDC activist’s head but he kept blocking the blows with his right arm,’ Muchemwa said.

The screams of the MDC activist attracted the attention of nearby villagers who immediately rushed to his rescue. The attackers fled the scene but were easily identified by a number of witnesses.

The MDC activist was first rushed to a local clinic where he was immediately transferred to Harare. In the capital there were fears he could lose his hand through amputation, but a surgeon managed to save it.

Muchemwa said there has been an upsurge in the number of MDC activists who have been attacked in recent weeks for seeking to reclaim their lost properties and compensation.

He said the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights have embarked on a programme of helping victims of political violence claim compensation through the High court and the small claims court. But police have refused to accompany the victims to deliver their summons, saying they have orders from their superiors not to do so. Police in Zimbabwe have failed to act against anyone from ZANU PF who commits a political crime, even murder.

A number of victims have faced threats and intimidation after attempting to serve a summons on perpetrators of last year’s violence. The latest cases of violence against MDC activists have been reported in Masvingo, Chiredzi, Mutoko, Mudzi, Bindura and Chegutu.