MDC candidate and family thrown into custody for celebrating

By Tichaona Sibanda
28 September 2006

An MDC candidate for the forthcoming rural district council elections in Siakobvu under chief Mola’s area in Kariba is still languishing in police cells 5 days after being arrested for celebrating his success at filing his papers at a nomination court. His family and a friend were also arrested.

Rufaro Nyoni, the opposition’s candidate for ward five in Siakobvu, was celebrating with his wife Rebecca, his brother Jevas, a friend Goresa Gandu and two of his daughters-in-law when police pounced on them for gathering ‘illegally’ at his house on Sunday.

Cloepas Machacha, MDC secretary for Kariba district said Nyoni was overwhelmed at successfully submitting his papers after overcoming so many hurdles put across by the regime for opposition candidates to register their candidature with the nomination court.

‘There were so many requirements needed and we still feel most of them were put there to block opposition candidates. They were being asked to pay Z$2 million, bring copies of letters from chiefs and headman confirming whether they resided in the area. They also needed clearance letters from the police and passport size photographs, all this from a person in a rural area,’ said Machacha.

The MDC in the district is working flat out to try to get them out of police custody. Kudakwashe Mandishona, an MDC activist in Kariba, said there is so much tension in the resort town following the crackdown on opposition supporters by the security forces.

Since the beginning of this month over 50 MDC activists have been arrested in the resort town for holding strategic party meetings for the forthcoming rural district council elections.

On Saturday, the resort town’s MDC elected Mayor, John Houghton and leading opposition figures like KweKwe legislator Blessing Chebundo and former Chegutu Mayor Francis Dhlakama were arrested before they even started their meeting.

According to Mandishona, Zanu (PF) supporters and officials have been meeting on a daily basis at the Town’s council offices without any interruption from the authorities. He said there is so much intimidation of opposition figures that they have resorted to underground activities to map their strategies for the rural district council elections.