ZANU PF faces new accusations of re-oiling its violence machinery

By Tichaona Sibanda
18 March 2010

South African President Jacob Zuma has come under fire for his failure to denounce the resurgent political violence in the rural areas, spearheaded by ZANU PF supporters.

Zuma ended a two-day ‘mediation’ visit to Zimbabwe on Thursday without mentioning the escalation in violence or calling on the political leaders to rein in their supporters.

Political commentator Munjonzi Mutandiri told us it is increasingly and tragically clear that continued violence represents the default mode of the ZANU PF establishment.

‘Right now ZANU PF is busy oiling its violence machinery. I was in a rural area not long ago and was shocked to see a ZANU PF supporter, a woman for that matter, claiming ownership of the 2008 violence that left many MDC activists dead. She was threatening people that if they don’t support the Kariba draft they would revert to the 2008 disturbances,’ Mutandiri said.

‘You could clearly see people were scared and that no one in the area dares to wear an MDC T-shirt. Can you imagine that such things are happening a year after the inclusive government was formed, its increadible and very unfortunate,’ Mutandiri added.

There are concerns that if the situation is not controlled widespread political violence will erupt. Reports of unrest and violence are already becoming more widespread as parliament prepares to roll out the constitutional outreach programme.

Energy Minister, Elias Mudzuri, who is also the MDC’s organising secretary, told the House of the Assembly this week that incidences of violence are occurring in many communal, farming and urban areas and there are indications that the violence is escalating in all these areas and could reach crisis levels.

Contributing to a parliamentary debate Mudzuri, the MDC MP for Warren Park Harare said; ‘As we are speaking, this spirit of violence is being revised in the rural areas. There was a slogan which was used in the June elections, that is the MAZDA slogan, which is being used now. MAZDA stands for Mugabe Achatonga Dzamara Afa’ (Mugabe will rule until he dies).