Tsvangirai takes campaign to ‘hotbed’ of political violence

By Tichaona Sibanda
17 June 2008

MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai will this week visit the three politically charged provinces of Mashonaland West, Central and East in the second leg of his election campaign for the June 27th presidential run-off.

The provinces, all former strongholds of the Zanu-PF party until the March 29th elections, have borne the brunt of retributive violence against MDC activists, who overwhelmingly voted for Tsvangirai in the first round poll. He will also visit Manicaland and Masvingo provinces before winding up his tour next week
An elections officer with the party, Donald Chirunga disclosed during a strategic meeting over the weekend that 80 percent of MDC activists in Mashonaland East had been displaced, while 50 percent had fled Mashonaland Central Province. Another 30 percent had been forced to flee from Mashonaland West Province.

Out of the 70 MDC activists killed so far countrywide in the state sponsored violence, almost 50 have been from the three provinces. The first leg of the tour has seen Tsvangirai visiting Matebeleland North and South and Bulawayo provinces where huge crowds have come out to meet him.

Tsvangirai’s spokesman George Sibotshiwe confirmed the MDC leader’s itinerary for the three provinces but would not specify exactly when they would be in each province, fearing for their safety.

The MDC said despite the harassment, arrests, intimidation and impounding of campaign vehicles by the police, Zanu PF thugs and state security agents Tsvangirai’s campaign, ahead of next week’s presidential run-off has been a huge success. Since the launch of his campaign, the president has been arrested five times. He was arrested in Lupane, Umzingwane, Kwekwe, Gweru and Shurugwi as the Zanu PF regime stepped up its efforts to frustrate the electorate from meeting Tsvangirai.

In a statement on Tuesday, the MDC said: ‘Thousands of people have come out to meet the president who has during his campaign come up with a strategy of meeting people in the streets, homes and buses. However, despite the campaign’s success, there have been cancellations by the police of several rallies that had been lined up in areas such Chinotimba in Victoria Falls, Hwange, Binga and Lupane.’