CHINHOYI —
The alleged victimization of opposition supporters by suspected Zanu PF supporters has spread from Harare to other provinces like Mashonaland West and Matebeleland North where villagers were Monday prevented from drawing water from a local borehole.
In Mashonaland West eight employees of the Grain Marketing Board at Mamina in Mhondoro-Ngezi were allegedly evicted Sunday, accused for voting for MDC-T in the national elections that saw President Robert Mugabe being re-elected in a poll being dismissed as a sham by outgoing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Trouble for the eight started after the ballots were counted at Mamina. Very few, according to sources present, voted for Zanu PF and the eight who had recently been transferred from Chinhoyi became easy targets and were blamed for supporting the MDC-T.
The MDC-T retained Chinhoyi constituency - the only seat out of 22 seats taken by Tsvangirai’s party in the province.
Peter Mataruse of MDC-T beat flamboyant businessman-cum-politician Philip Chiyangwa by a narrow margin.
GMB provincial manager Sherpherd Chatikobo refused to talk to the press about the issue.
Lovemore Zanamwe of Glenamel Farm near Chinhoyi claimed he had to run for his life early Monday as suspected Zanu-PF activists pursued him, charging he had participated in the just-ended polls on an MDC ticket in Chiredzi East.
"I told them that I did not leave this province at all and that I do not know this other Lovemore Zanamwe who participated in the polls but they were having none of it so I had to run away to save myself," said Zanamwe. "We are namesakes, that is all. I voted here in Ward 8 on July 31 but they do not believe it."
Zanamwe said Chinhoyi police refused to open a docket against the perpetrators saying the matter was political.
In Matebeleland North meanwhile, MDC-T provincial chairman Sengezo Tshabangu says police in Lupane are investigating the torching down of party officials’ huts in Ward One on election day by suspected Zanu PF supporters.
The huts belonged to MDC-T organizing secretary for the province; Thembinkosi Sibanda and Mbonisi Mpofu, who lost the Ward 1 Dongamuzi council seat to Zanu PF.
In Umguza, Edmond Lulindo Masuku, who lost the parliamentary election to Zanu PF’s Obert Mpofu, tells VOA MDC-T supporters in Ward 15 Nyamandlovu were Monday barred from fetching water at a local borehole by the winning Zanu PF council candidate.
Mpofu, says Masuku, had to intervene to allow the villagers access to the borehole.
“They have been denied their right to get water from the village borehole and it is wrong,” said Masuku. “While we are grateful to Mr. Mpofu that he interceded yesterday, I’m informed that today the councilor again barred our supporters from getting water, meaning they have the whole day without water. That is unacceptable.”
Mr.Tsvangirai and his party lost to Zanu PF and President Mugabe in the council, parliamentary and presidential elections that are being disputed by the MDC-T.
In Mashonaland West eight employees of the Grain Marketing Board at Mamina in Mhondoro-Ngezi were allegedly evicted Sunday, accused for voting for MDC-T in the national elections that saw President Robert Mugabe being re-elected in a poll being dismissed as a sham by outgoing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Trouble for the eight started after the ballots were counted at Mamina. Very few, according to sources present, voted for Zanu PF and the eight who had recently been transferred from Chinhoyi became easy targets and were blamed for supporting the MDC-T.
The MDC-T retained Chinhoyi constituency - the only seat out of 22 seats taken by Tsvangirai’s party in the province.
Peter Mataruse of MDC-T beat flamboyant businessman-cum-politician Philip Chiyangwa by a narrow margin.
GMB provincial manager Sherpherd Chatikobo refused to talk to the press about the issue.
Lovemore Zanamwe of Glenamel Farm near Chinhoyi claimed he had to run for his life early Monday as suspected Zanu-PF activists pursued him, charging he had participated in the just-ended polls on an MDC ticket in Chiredzi East.
"I told them that I did not leave this province at all and that I do not know this other Lovemore Zanamwe who participated in the polls but they were having none of it so I had to run away to save myself," said Zanamwe. "We are namesakes, that is all. I voted here in Ward 8 on July 31 but they do not believe it."
Zanamwe said Chinhoyi police refused to open a docket against the perpetrators saying the matter was political.
In Matebeleland North meanwhile, MDC-T provincial chairman Sengezo Tshabangu says police in Lupane are investigating the torching down of party officials’ huts in Ward One on election day by suspected Zanu PF supporters.
The huts belonged to MDC-T organizing secretary for the province; Thembinkosi Sibanda and Mbonisi Mpofu, who lost the Ward 1 Dongamuzi council seat to Zanu PF.
In Umguza, Edmond Lulindo Masuku, who lost the parliamentary election to Zanu PF’s Obert Mpofu, tells VOA MDC-T supporters in Ward 15 Nyamandlovu were Monday barred from fetching water at a local borehole by the winning Zanu PF council candidate.
Mpofu, says Masuku, had to intervene to allow the villagers access to the borehole.
“They have been denied their right to get water from the village borehole and it is wrong,” said Masuku. “While we are grateful to Mr. Mpofu that he interceded yesterday, I’m informed that today the councilor again barred our supporters from getting water, meaning they have the whole day without water. That is unacceptable.”
Mr.Tsvangirai and his party lost to Zanu PF and President Mugabe in the council, parliamentary and presidential elections that are being disputed by the MDC-T.
