“Beaten, wounded, bleeding and even lost life for exercising my right ...

Masvingo
Masvingo
ls
ta
o
T
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1 0
49
108
16 11 11 32 22
417
27
post election violence
Type of cases
Masvingo had the second highest recorded cases (622) of violations in the post election
period. The most prevalent violations were harassment and intimidation (417cases),
Assault (108 cases) and kidnappings/abduction (49 cases). Other violations recorded
include unlawful detention.
The intensity of violence was also high with one murder case, grievous assaults and
kidnappings were also recorded in Masvingo. In most of the cases, the main
perpetrators of violence were members of the ruling party. Land invasions resurfaced in
the province with one case recorded, where the war veterans arrived at Chidza farm,
Masvingo Rural on the 6 th of April 2008 and demanded the farm owners to slaughter a
sheep for their consumption. The war veterans and youths then went on to allocate
themselves pieces of land. The farmer was targeted after a report was made to the chief
that the farm owner was celebrating MDC victory in the elections. The ZANU PF youths
also allegedly beat up supporters of MDC on April 4, 2008 at Nezvikonde in Zaka and
one of them died in the process. In Chiredzi South at Farm 40, it is understood that one
MDC supporter, Leo Zembe was forced into a Mazda pick up by unknown youths
campaigning for ZANU PF. The youth was forced to join them but he refused. The victim
was forced to chant party slogans, remove his party T- Shirt and forced into their car.
The youths took turns to beat him with sticks and booted feet. The victim was dropped
© The Zimbabwe Peace Project, May 2008
26