BY LORRAINE MUROMO/SHARON BUWERIMWE
OPPOSITION Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters claimed they were attacked by Zanu PF activists during a campaign in Kwekwe, Midlands province yesterday.
Nelson Chamisa is the leader of CCC.
According to reports, Zanu PF supporters assaulted the driver of Kwekwe Central CCC candidate, Judith Tobaiwa, and defaced campaign posters on Tobaiwa’s vehicle, which they later drove to the ruling party’s district offices.
CCC youth spokesperson Stephen “Sarkozy” Chuma confirmed the incident, adding that Tobaiwa’s vehicle had its windows smashed.
“The vehicle is currently at Zanu PF Kwekwe headquarters while Zanu PF misfits are removing campaign stickers and breaking screens,” he said.
There are fears that more violent incidents will rock the campaign period ahead of the March 26 by-elections.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiCZ) expressed concern over the violence ahead of the March 26 by-elections, and warned that “this points to bloody elections in 2023”.
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“We are disturbed that despite assurances of a new dispensation, Zanu PF has continued to use violence and cohesion during elections,” the CiCZ said in a statement.
“CiCZ reiterates that peace and tolerance are the panacea to free, fair and credible elections and we implore the ruling party, Zanu PF, to desist from terror and shock tactics during elections. It is disturbing that the Zanu PF militia continues to act with impunity and this has been fuelling violence against opposition supporters over the years.”
Zanu PF Kwekwe provincial member in Kwekwe, Cornelius Mupereri, professed ignorance about the violence.
“I don’t even know the person you are talking about and I’m not aware of the report,” he said.
However, the CiCZ challenged the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) to investigate all cases that were violence related.
“The ZHRC must investigate all cases of politically-motivated violence ahead of the March 26 by-elections and proffer recommendations that would lead to peace during election time,” CiCZ added.
“April 18, 1980 bequeathed a right to free and fair elections to all Zimbabweans. And it worries that the former liberation movement is now behaving worse than the apartheid supremacist Rhodesian government. The people’s choice, and not violence, must be supreme.”
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