MDC say 10 people killed so far in post election violence

By Lance Guma
21 April 2008

At least 10 people have been killed in the wave of political violence directed by Mugabe’s regime around the country, according to the MDC. The opposition says 4 of their members were killed within a week of each other. The party listed Tapiwa Mubwanda who was stabbed by Zanu PF supporters on 12 April in Hurungwe East; Murunde Tembo from Mudzi North; Tendai Chibika from Mutoko East and Moses Bashitiyawo from Maramba Pfungwe. Chibika died on Thursday after being shot by Richard Makoni, a Zanu PF activist, at Chibeta business centre. Tembo was attacked Tuesday at his home and died on his way to hospital. No details are available yet on the other 6 activists killed.

The MDC also says the number of activists arrested by police since TOn Diaspora Diaries this week Tererai is joined by Munjodzi Mutandiri from the National Constitutional Assembly, South Africa branch, to discuss the recent escalation of xenophobic attacks against Zimbabweans. At least 4 Zimbabweans, including a 9-year old girl, were killed in attacks in Pretoria last week. Locals in the Mamelodi area went on a rampage saying foreigners, particularly Zimbabweans, were 'taking their jobs and opportunities’. Many Zimbabweans were left homeless. The NCA urged the South African government to publicly accept that there is a crisis in Zimbabwe. This would affect the behaviour of ordinary South Africans, who are influenced by their leaders. Tererai also speaks to Marceline Mutikori from Free Zim Youth, about peaceful means of resistance. Marceline was dragged out by security on Friday after she interrupted the Tanzanian Vice President at a forum in London. Tanzania currently heads the AU, which has failed to take a strong stance against the Mugabe regime.

uesday last week, when they called for a stayaway, has risen from 150 to 300. The party called for a stayaway to put pressure on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to release presidential election results for the March 29 poll. Some of the arrested include MDC staff members Luke Tamborinyoka, Kudakwashe Matibiri and Fortune Gwaze. Freelance journalist Frank Chikowore is among those also detained. In Harare’s Epworth suburb alone, 40 MDC supporters were arrested for daring to file reports that police assaulted them. All 40 are detained at Harare Central police station.

Last week Thursday the president of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists Matthew Takaona was assaulted by 10 soldiers in Chitungwiza. Another journalist, Stanley Karombo, was abducted and his whereabouts remain unknown.

There is developing consensus that Mugabe lost the presidential election by a large margin and because of this has unleashed a brutal terror campaign to ‘re-educate’ the population for a presidential run-off. Over 3000 families have been displaced in the countrywide retributions being conducted by Zanu PF. The opposition also report that Zanu PF militia have burnt down at least 800 homes. The operation has been dubbed, ‘Push Campaign’ and is meant to, ‘drive out MDC supporters in those constituencies so that in the event of run-off there are no existing MDC supporters in that area,’ the party said in a statement.

Meanwhile the Murehwa Community Development Trust issued an alert saying war veterans and youth militia have set up detention centres that are being used to, ‘torture opposition and human rights activists.’ The situation is so serious that NGO’s working in the area have suspended their operations ‘for fear of reprisals by war veterans and the youth militia.’ Local MP and Health Minister David Parirenyatwa is allegedly directing most of the violence in the area. The newly elected Zanu PF senator known as Mavhungire and Bright Makunde, a businessman who owns Hot Pot restaurant in Mutoko, have also been implicated in the violence. Hundreds of people in the area are fleeing their homes to escape the violence.

In the Zishumbe Resettlement area of Masvingo North constituency 10 MDC polling agents were severely beaten up by Zanu PF youths. Seven of the polling agents are said to be unable to walk as a result of the beatings. Although they filed reports at Masvingo Central police station the police have adopted a partisan approach to the violence and at times have been active participants. In the Bikita area the MDC agents who were assigned to monitor the recounts engineered by Zanu PF have all been chased away by Zanu PF youths from the counting centres. In Mutare about 200 people, all beaten up by militants, turned up at Mutare General hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile the Bulawayo office of the MDC received it’s first group of refugees this week. The party has sought help from the Christian Alliance in order to provide temporary accommodation until they can decide what to do. The situation is the same all over the country, as thousands of villagers flee their homes in the countryside and seek shelter in the towns.