Cases of Political Violence

Note: The identities of victims that have not been published in the press and are not public officials are protected by the use of initials.

BULAWAYO

Bulawayo North East/ South

12 May 2003

•        Forty six women (Lillian Cimezile, Anastasia Ngwenya, Rebecca Ndlovhu, Gabriella Watson, Josephine Sibanda, Mary Moyo, Ecina Ngwenya, Lillian Moyo, Petronella Tshuma, Marble Ngwenya, Esther Mabhena, Cengiwe Chirende, Kheti Makhalima, Sinqobile Maseko, Jennifer Williams, Siphiwe Bhamu, Tiwe Nkomo, Nomsa Mwananzi, Sibonile Ncube, Rosina Nyoni, Milia Dhlamini, Lucy Ncube, Sibongile Chisamba, Gladys Moyo, Virginia Ndlovhu, Mercy Dube, Tabila Moyo, Meli Phiri, Patricia Hernandes, Esnathi Dube, Jane Sibanda, Sibongile Dube, Jennifer Tshuma, Gertrude Khumalo, Rosemary Nyathi, Nami Nyirenda, Joyce Mkhwananzi, Beauty Ngwenya, Alice Maseko, Patricia Nkomo, Joyce Zulu, Thokozile Mloyi  and four other unnamed), were reportedly arrested by the ZRP officers, on allegations that they had staged a public demonstration in contradiction of a High Court order which had barred them from doing so. The group was part of WOZA (Women Of Zimbabwe Arise), which staged a peaceful demonstration commemorating Mothers’ Day and calling for peace, an end to political and human rights violations, and an end to torture in the country. Over 400 women participated in Harare and Bulawayo, joining hands in prayer as they marched through the streets of Harare and Bulawayo. However, no arrests were reported in Harare. The women are said to have marched from the Bulawayo city centre to the High Court wearing scarves written ‘ZVAKWANA’, literally meaning “ENOUGH”, as well as banners which read, ‘Women of Zimbabwe say no to hate and violence and yes to love. Put your house in order”. Lawyers and relatives were reportedly initially denied access to the victims until after they had been interrogated. The police allegedly confiscated the scarves and then released the victims after they had individually paid an admission of guilt fine.

HARARE

Chitungwiza

1 May 2003

•        Members of the ZNA reportedly arrived at the home of EMG, an MDC supporter, while he was asleep and entered forcibly. They beat him with booted feet, threw his clothes out of his lodgings, and evicted him. They are said to have told his landlord that EMG was not to stay there any more, or else his house would be burnt down.

•        In the early hours of the morning, some soldiers and members of the police are said to have arrived at the home of LU, an MDC supporter, and assaulted him in front of his children. He was reportedly arrested and then taken to Makoni Police Station. He claims that he does not know why he was arrested. On the way to the station, he was purportedly assaulted with baton sticks, booted feet, and clenched fists. The same officers are still visiting him at home and they have allegedly threatened to attack him further. He sustained a broken thumb.

•        DM was reportedly tortured by ZRP and ZNA forces, on suspicion that she had some MDC information in the house. She was asleep at the time of their arrival. The state agents are said to have demanded to see her father, but he was not there. They allegedly demanded MDC party cards and information from her, searched through the house, and assaulted the children using open palms and clenched fists. The victim claims that they stole about $76 000 cash, a watch, and the father’s Identity Document. They blindfolded DM, took her to Makoni Police Station, and ordered her to bend down and bite the shoes she was wearing. She was released after two days without any charges being preferred against her.  

•        Around 11pm, some soldiers reportedly arrived and knocked on MK’s door. Before she could ask them who they were, the assailants are said to have forced the door open, grabbed the victim, and harassed her on accusations of being an MDC supporter. She claims that they forced her to admit that she had received money from the MDC party officials when ZANU PF supporters murdered her husband, an MDC supporter and that they also demanded to know how else she had benefited from the MDC party.

5 May 2003

•        CIO agents and the ZANU PF youth militia allegedly went to EB’s house and demanded to know why she supports the opposition MDC. She was forced to leave her home and is currently on the run because she believes the CIO agents are after her.

28 May 2003

•        BU, an MDC supporter, reported that he was relaxing at home when soldiers arrived, forced entry into his home, and beat him with iron bars. He claims that they warned him that his political affiliation was the cause of the torture and threatened him with further unspecified action.

31 May 2003

•        TK, an MDC supporter, was asleep at home when ZANU PF youths and soldiers reportedly arrived at his home and demanded that he give them MDC T- shirts and MDC information, which they claimed he kept in his house. On telling them that he had none, they are said to have assaulted him and his children with various objects, in an effort to get the information from him. They threatened to come back and finish him off resulting in him fleeing the area.

•        ES is a barman and an MDC supporter. He alleges that he was coming from work when about 25 youths from the Border Gezi National Youth Service Training Centre beat him with clubs and booted feet, on accusations of converting people to MDC. He sustained head injuries.

Glen Norah

8 May 2003

•        MC’s home was allegedly destroyed by ZANU PF youths in February 2003 because he was an active MDC supporter. He claims that ZNLWVA members have recently started intimidating him and that they abducted his fiancée and assaulted her in an effort to garner information from her pertaining to her boyfriend and his MDC activities. He further claims that from that day on, CIO agents, ZANU PF supporters, and the police are on the hunt for him, that they displaced him from his new home and that he now fears for his life.     

Harare Central

5 May 20003

•        NK claims that she was waiting to board a bus at the Rotten Row Bus Terminus (near Sheraton Hotel) when police officers arrested her on allegations of taking part in the demonstrations that had just occurred that afternoon. She was assaulted with booted feet and was detained for 5 hours. The riot police had earlier dispersed the  crowd of MDC female members who were demonstrating on the predicament of women in Zimbabwe at the Sheraton Hotel. The riot police officers later spotted the victim at the bus stop, apprehended her, and then took her to Harare Central Police Station. She claims that she was taken to the Law and Order Section where she was kept for 5 hours before she was released without being formally charged. MDC women had held a peaceful demonstration in the area, holding placards calling for an end to women' s predicaments in Zimbabwe.

•        CIO agents and police officers reportedly beat AG as she tried to run away from riot police officers who were dispersing a crowd of peaceful female protesters. The group comprised MDC female protesters who were demonstrating at the Sheraton Hotel grounds. She claims that the officers arrested her and the other women then took them to Harare Central Police Station where they verbally abused her, calling her Tsvangirai's prostitute. She alleges that they assaulted her on the back with a baton stick, and then made unspecified threats at her. At the time of the arrest, AG asserts that she was coming from Milton Park where she had been attending to her personal business and that she was not part of the group of demonstrators.

•        MV, a farm worker in Hatcliffe, claims that she was arrested and then assaulted by the riot police officers and CIO agents while taking part in a peaceful demonstration at the Sheraton Hotel grounds with other women protesters. She alleged that her assailants threatened her with unspecified action, took down her identity particulars, and ordered her and the rest of the women off the complex.  MV and the rest of the group were reportedly kicked and assaulted with sjamboks and baton sticks on their backs. The victim was among a group of MDC women who were protesting peacefully at the Sheraton Hotel grounds and wanted to meet President Obasanjo of Nigeria to fill him in on women' s predicament in Zimbabwe. MV was taken to Harare Central Police Station where a statement was taken, but she was not formally charged.

13 May 2003

•        Christine Chemhuru, Sue Burr and seven other female MDC members who marched to the High Court expressing solidarity with the three MDC leaders who are on treason trial, were reportedly arrested outside the MDC offices. They were part of the two hundred who had been denied entry at the High Court treason trial of Morgan Tsvangirai, Welshman Ncube (MDC Secretary General) and Renson Gasela (Gweru Rural MP), because they were wearing casual wear - which is not allowed in courts. They wore T-shirts with inscriptions which read, “We are behind you all the way". They were confronted by riot police at the High Court, who demanded that they remove their T-shirts. The women refused to remove them, but complied when they were forced to retreat. They marched back to the MDC offices and on arrival, nine of them were reportedly arrested and taken to Harare Central Police Station where they were detained. They were only released on paying an admission of guilt fine.

30 May 2003

•        Two ZRP officers reportedly arrested a student at the Harare Polytechnic College Campus with the help of security guards, mistaking him for a different individual, the former Student Representative Council (SRC) Secretary General. He was wanted on allegations of illegally distributing MDC material on campus.  The victim claims that he was held in police custody despite protestations as to his correct identity, and efforts by his lawyer to have him released. The victim was only released on 2 June 2003 having been detained for three days at Harare Central Police Station, in a crowded and unclean holding cell. He was charged under POSA Section 15(1) (a), and accused of distributing prohibited material and inciting student unrest.  

31 May 2003

•        Four students from the Harare Polytechnic College were reportedly arrested by about nine plainclothes policemen while socialising at the college campus. The state agents are said to have ordered the four to accompany them to the administration block, where a Police Defender vehicle awaited, bundled them into the truck, and went off with them to Harare Central Police Station. A friend who found their bags and schoolbooks abandoned on the ground notified colleagues, and then sought legal representation. One student went with a lawyer to investigate the detention at the Police Station, but was also reportedly taken into police custody. Another student from the Harare Polytechnic College was reportedly arrested on campus by a plainclothes policeman who wanted to ask him a few questions. They allegedly accused him distributing material calling for the mass stay-away held from 2 to 6 June 2003. They were charged under POSA Section 15(1) (a), and accused of distributing prohibited material and inciting student unrest.

Kuwadzana

27 May 2003

•        FN purports that armed policemen and ZANU PF youths apprehended him on his way home from the shops and assaulted him all over the body with sharp objects, booted feet and open palms. He could not identify any of them. He is an MDC supporter and he suspects that he was assaulted because of his political affiliation.

Mbare East

16 May 2003

•        FM, a refugee, claims that CIO agents arrived where he was staying with other refugees, searched the house, and took some money, alleging that such money as they had was not allowed in houses by law. The victim then moved to another home in Cranborne, and he now claims that he has come under harassment from the same agents, accusing him of supporting the opposition MDC. He says that he is apolitical.

Mbare East/ West

16 May 2003

•        TM was reading a copy of the Daily News with his friends. It is alleged that when one Claudius Rwafa, a ZANU PF youth, saw them reading the paper, he went to the ZANU PF offices in the area, and reported the victim and his friends to D. Mutyoramwe, one of the officers. Rwafa allegedly misrepresented to the officer that the victim and his friends were shouting that MDC was now in power, which TM alleged was not true. The victims were later called to the ZANU PF offices, were told to leave Mbare, and come back when MDC was in power. TM was forced to leave his job as he was working as a commuter omnibus conductor in the area.

Mufakose

May 2003

•        Four ZANU PF youths reportedly raided David Matinyarare’s (MDC Secretary for Information and Publicity for Mufakose) home in search for him. On seeing him, they purportedly hit him on the head and shoulders with iron bars. When he fell to the ground, the assailants are said to have poked his naval with an iron object, stabbed him in the stomach with a sharp object, and then left him lying on the floor. Following the assault, he experienced difficulties when eating. He was admitted at Parirenyatwa hospital and died three days later. The case was reported to the police but they have reportedly not done anything as yet.

St. Marys’

5 May 2003

•        HS and T alleged that members of the ZRP and soldiers chased them away from Tonderai Machiridza’s memorial service and assaulted them, accusing them of being MDC supporters. Tonderai Machiridza is an MDC supporter who died on 18 April 2003 after he was assaulted by state police, on accusations of assaulting a policeman and refusing lawful arrest.

•        JM of Machichiri School was on his way to work when the police, in the company of his former girlfriend, approached him and served him with a Summons for maintenance. The victim refused to sign because he alleged the policemen had not used the proper procedure of serving summons. He claims that the youth militia had sent the police to him in an attempt to provoke him so that they could find a reason to victimise him. About 15 minutes later when he had arrived home, the police returned accompanied by the youths, handcuffed him, whipped his back with baton sticks, slapped him with open palms, and called him a troublesome MDC supporter. At this moment, the wife is said to have come out of the house and on being spotted, she was also heavily assaulted despite being pregnant. They alleged that they were both taken to St. Mary’s’ Police Station, were detained, and then released without charge. JM reported at Harare Central Police Station the same day, but was instead threatened with eviction from the compound where he stays.

24 May 2003

•        NC claims that ZANU PF youths came to the victim’s home around 9:30pm when he was asleep, forced entry, and assaulted him. They are said to have stolen $15 000 cash, a wallet with his National Identity card, a watch, shirt, and other clothing from the house. He does not know why he was assaulted as he claims that he does not support any political party.

MANICALAND

Buhera North/ South

19 May 2003

•        Last year, BG campaigned for the seat of councillor on an MDC ticket. He alleged that from that day on, ZANU PF youths have been intimidating him. He claims that he has received death threats warning him that failure to leave the area will result in his death.

Mutare Central

14 May 2003

•        Misheck Kagurabadza, MDC Mayoral candidate and owner of High-tech College, claims that agents from the CID office searched and ransacked his house without a search warrant. They are said to have visited his college premises demanding identity documents from all the teachers at his college. He suspects that the move was politically motivated as he is standing for election on an MDC ticket.

MASHONALAND CENTRAL

Shamva

1 May 2003

•        PC alleges that ZANU PF youths and members of the ZNLWVA displaced him from his home because he supports the opposition MDC. He claims that they approached his home and accused his family of supporting the opposition. Apparently, the assailants were planning to victimise him and his family but they managed to flee to Epworth before the perpetrators victimised them. The assailants have reportedly followed him to Harare and they are demanding that he leave the area.

MASHONALAND EAST

Mutoko North/ South

31 May 2003

•        SC claims that ZANU PF youth militia assaulted him with sharp objects while he was distributing MDC fliers along Mutoko road. The group allegedly surrounded the victim and his colleague, who managed to flee from the assailants. SC lost consciousness.

MASHONALAND WEST

Hurungwe West

May 2003

•        Members of the CIO, war veterans, and ZANU PF militias have reportedly been manning inspection centres in the current voter registration and inspection exercise in preparation for the August 2003 Urban Councils Elections. They are allegedly intimidating and frustrating suspected MDC supporters to discourage them from checking their names or registering.

22 May 2003

•        LM, MDC candidate for Hurungwe West Ward 7, was reportedly abducted by ZANU PF supporters while in the process of filing his nomination papers at Magunje Growth Point. He was detained until after closure of the nomination court to prevent him from registering. It is said that the Registrar claimed LM owed Hurungwe District Council some money, and was therefore ineligible for nomination. LM then went to the nearest council offices to pay off his bills, but was abducted by a group of about 20 ZANU PF supporters who rushed towards him and attacked him in full view of the acting member in charge at Magunje Growth Point Police Station, Inspector Madzikanda. They reportedly beat him with open palms, bundled him into the back of a truck and drove off with him. At the time of the abduction, LM was with Godfrey Gumbo, MDC Mashonaland West Provincial Treasurer and Musa Musandosara, his election agent. LM’s colleagues made a report to the Elections Registrar, a Mr. J. Mupanga, who said there was nothing he could do to help after the two MDC officials appealed for a postponement of the nomination to ensure that the party’s candidate was able to register. LM was only released around 6pm after the Nomination Court had closed. The ZANU PF candidate was therefore declared duly elected unopposed.

Kadoma

5 May 2003

•        LJ claims that he was displaced from his home by ZANU PF youths, on suspicion that he supports the opposition MDC.  

Mhondoro

30 May 2003

•        EU of Porta farm in Norton alleged that her house was burnt by ZANU PF youths because she supports the opposition MDC. The youths are said to have confiscated her children’s and mother’s clothes, and forcibly evicted her from her home. She claims that she was called Tsvangirai’s prostitute.

MASVINGO

Mwenezi

May 2003

•        Representatives from the South African firm Russel Collins, a property buying agency, Josiah Hungwe (Masvingo Provincial Governor) and some ZANU PF politicians, have reportedly agreed to evict the newly resettled farmers to make way for a proposed wildlife Conservancy, thus turning the place into a Ranch. It is alleged that the reason is to let blacks enter Wildlife business and that any whites who wish to enter into partnership are most welcome.

MATEBELELAND NORTH

Hwange

May 2003

•        Kudzanayi, a member of the CIO, Jeremiah Ngwenya, a war veteran, and Dick Lunga, the ZANU PF Youth Provincial Coordinator, have reportedly been deployed at Inspection Centres to man the centres in the current voter registration and inspection exercise. This has reportedly has an intimidatory impact on the residents.

MIDLANDS

Gweru Urban

15 May 2003

•        Onwell Marasha, president of the Students Executive Council (SRC) at the Midlands State University, was suspended from Midlands State University by the University Vice-chancellor Professor Ngwabi Bhebhe on allegations of distributing opposition MDC mass action pamphlets with other students, and urging other students to join the stay away. He was reportedly accused of being in breach of Section 3.1.4 of the Ordinance because he allegedly engaged in "conduct reasonably likely to be harmful to the interests of the university by distributing pamphlets and whistles to other students". He alleges that he was barred from attending lectures until cleared by the Students’ Disciplinary Committee. Marasha denies the charge, claiming that he was victimized because he is a student leader and that materials were distributed by people from outside campus.     

22 May 2003

•        Twelve students from the Midlands State University were reportedly arrested and detained by CID and ZRP officers, on allegations that they attempted to convene a rally on the University Campus during the run up to the MDC one-week mass action held from 2 to 6 June 2003. In actuality, there were reportedly no plans to hold a rally. It was further alleged that the students had been distributing fliers calling for the MDC mass action. Some of the students were detained at Gweru Central Police Station and the detention was recorded in the Criminal Investigations Dept. (CID) logbook. Three of the students were reportedly released two days later (17 May 2003) after paying $5 000 admission of guilt fines, while five of the students, including Students Representative Council (SRC) President Onwell Marasha, allege that they had been taken to Mkoba Police Station where they were harassed and accused of being “enemies of the state” before they were released.

Full alphabetical list of reported deaths related to political violence 1 January to 31 May 2003 recorded indicating political affiliation, date of death, province and constituency.

TOTAL -  5 :  MDC - 4; ZANU PF - 1

SURNAME	FIRST NAME(S)	POLITICAL AFFILIATION	DATE OF DEATH	PROVINCE	CONSTITUENCY
1.       KOMBO	Samson,Shawano	MDC	20/ 1/ 2003	Makoni East	Manicaland
2.       MACHIRIDZA	Richard, Tonderai	MDC	1/ 5/ 2003	Kuwadzana	Harare
3.       MANGWIRO	Tonderai	ZANU PF	20/ 1/ 2003	Kuwadzana	Harare
4.       MATINYARARE	David	MDC	1/ 5/ 2003	Mufakose	Harare
5.       TONERA	Stephen	MDC	20/ 3/ 2003	Seke	Mashonaland East

Administrative Map of ZIMBABWE

 

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (also known as the “Human Rights Forum”) has been in existence since January 1998 when 9 non-governmental organisations working in the field of human rights joined together to provide legal and psychosocial assistance to the victims of the Food Riots of January 1998. The coalitions membership has since increased to 14, with 13 core members and 1 associate member.

The Human Rights Forum has now expanded its objectives to assist victims of organised violence, using the following definition:

The Human Rights Forum operates a Research and Documentation Unit and offers legal services through the Public Interest Unit of the Legal Resources Foundation (formerly the Legal Unit of the ZHRF.)

Core member organisations of the Human Rights Forum are:

•            Amani Trust

•            Amnesty International (Zimbabwe) (AI (Z))

•            Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP)

•            Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)

•            Legal Resources Foundation (LRF)

•            Transparency International (Zimbabwe) (TI (Z))

•            University of Zimbabwe Legal Aid and Advice Scheme (UZ (LAAS))

•            Zimbabwe Association for Crime Prevention and the Rehabilitation of the Offender (ZACRO)

•            Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR)

•            Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust (ZIMCET)

•            Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)

•            Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)

•            Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA)

Associate Member:

•            Nonviolent Action and Strategies for Social Change (NOVASC)

The Human Rights Forum can be contacted through any member organisation or through:

The Administrator, P O Box 9077, Harare – email: admin@hrforum.co.zw

The Public Interest Unit, P O Box 9077, Harare – email: legal@hrforum.co.zw

The Research Unit, P O Box 9077, Harare – email: research@hrforum.co.zw

Address: 8^th Floor Bluebridge North, Eastgate, Harare; Telephone: 250511 - Fax: 250494

The International Liaison Office, 33 Islington High Street, London N1 9LH –
email:zimbabwe@article19.org;
Telephone: +44 (0)20-7713.1123
Website: www.hrforumzim.com

Previous reports of the Human Rights Forum can be found on our website.

[1] Please see POSA Act Chapter 11:17, Section 15(1)(a)