Army chaplain turns funeral into anti-Tsvangirai rally

By Tichaona Sibanda
10 February 2010

An army chaplain from the Presidential Guard last week turned a funeral held for one of his soldiers into an anti-MDC protest, chanting slogans in support of ZANU PF and denouncing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

What started as a solemn and sombre service at Corporal Clever Huruve’s burial was interrupted by a torrent of denounciations of the MDC and its leader. Tsvangirai was notified of the incident at a golf match in Harare last Saturday and has promised to look into the matter.

This incident took place at the homestaed of the Huruve family at Madamombe village near Mandamambwe business centre in Chivi, Masvingo province.

Many among those gathered to say farewell to the Presidential Guard soldier were left shocked at the manner in which the military police and chaplain openly displayed menacing attitudes towards MDC supporters. One of them, Ephert Chikozha wore an MDC T-shirt which did not go down well with the chaplain, a warrant officer by rank.

“Pamberi neZANU PF,” (forward with ZANU PF), “pasi naTsvangirai,” (down with Tsvangirai) is how the chaplain began his funeral rites. His chants were greeted with a frosty silence and a few jeers from those gathered.

Headman Isiah Pfenemene told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday it was at this juncture that the chaplain asked the red beret military police to eject Chikozha from the funeral. Pfenemene bore the full brunt of the chaplain’s expletive-laden rant when he vehemently protested to the orders.

“His ranting provoked a huge backlash from the mourners who argued they had come to a funeral, and not a political rally. The chaplain went into a rage and launched a kung-fu style kick at my head, knocking off my hat in the process. I was saved from further harm by the corporal’s family who came to my aid,” Pfenemeni said.

As the situation degenerated into chaos, other soldiers present drew their weapons and pointed them at the mourners in an apparent show of force. Headman Pfenemene claimed the heavy handedness behaviour of the military left villagers traumatised.

“To my and everyone’s astonishment, the chaplain, an ordained member of the clergy, who is supposed to provide religious services and support to armed forces members and their families in difficult periods, promised vengeance against the people of Chivi,’ Pfenemene said.

“With incredible boldness he told everyone at the funeral they were only waiting for the World Cup finals to be done with in South Africa before they unleash another wave of terror. I will tell you, people are terrified here in Chivi. We know what they’re capable of and we’ve seen it all here in the province. But we didn’t expect that kind of language in this day and age of an inclusive government,” the headman added.

Pfenemene said they made a report to police at Mandamabwe. He said if an investigation was to be carried out, he would be happy to identify the chaplain as well as the soldiers who drew their guns at the funeral.

The country’s military, which has strong ties to Robert Mugabe and ZANU PF, is known to initiate coordinated election violence to eliminate perceived supporters of the MDC in the country. Aided by ZANU-PF youth militia and war veterans, the soldiers have in the past run a campaign of terror to violently crush the MDC party in rural areas, while also silencing any dissent or support in the major cities and towns.