Pishai Muchauraya attacked by Zanu-PF mob at Old Mutare

By Tichaona Sibanda
27 February 2008

The bitter election battle in Manicaland has once again spilled over into violence after the MDC spokesman in the province, Pishai Muchauraya, was attacked by a mob on Wednesday.

Muchauraya, the MDC parliamentary candidate for Makoni South in next month’s elections, was travelling to the constituency with his driver and an aide when they stopped at a roadside store to buy some refreshments at 9am.

A mob travelling in a trailer drawn by a tractor approached the trio outside Lamour supermarket, close to the Africa University in Old Mutare. The driver of the tractor blocked Muchauraya’s truck, a Mazda B2500, and the mob of over 45 youths set upon the trio and ripped off the MDC t-shirts they were wearing.

‘It was a vicious and callous attack and I’m lucky I didn’t sustain serious injuries. But we suspect my driver Michael Murapa could have sustained a fractured hand, while my aide Tendai Chimonya was also injured in the attack,’ Muchauraya said.

In the confusion, the three MDC officials managed to get away and hid in tall grass for nearly two hours before they could use a mobile phone to alert the police and other MDC officials.

The mob ransacked the truck and took away a mobile phone, over 1000 party cards, Z$1,4 billion in cash, party regalia including t-shirts and Muchauraya’s information pack, which contained the manifesto that was launched on Saturday.

The Manicaland spokesman said the mob came from a nearby farm owned by a Zanu-PF senator. Two well-known war veteran leaders named as Choga and Masukume led the group. Police visited the scene three hours after the attack but no arrests were made.

‘The police officers were getting instructions from the senator and the two war veterans on the scene. I guess they were too scared to lay their hands on the culprits,’ said Muchauraya.

The incident has triggered fears for the safety of Muchauraya, a fierce critic of Robert Mugabe and his ruling party.

The fearless spokesman is challenging Zanu-PF’s Shadreck Chipanga in the forthcoming poll. Chipanga narrowly beat Muchauraya by less than 180 votes in the 2005 election and his small majority is under serious threat from the MDC.

Muchauraya said it was clear his attackers were worried that he could become MP for an area which has largely been dominated by Zanu-PF heavyweights.