National youth service training - Solidarity Peace Trust

• Intimidation around voting days. This was so intense that in some wards voting went ahead in
the absence of the MDC candidates who were too afraid to appear.
• Open food handouts to those who opted to vote as illiterates, after they had voted for ZANU-
PF. Casting a vote for ZANU-PF became a way to alleviate starvation for one day.
• Youth militia and government officials campaigned using the threat of no food aid for wards
that ended up with MDC councillors.
• In Masvingo, 4 polling officers were severely assaulted, including by youth militia.
Post election retribution
The November 2002 Physicians for Human Rights report lists some of the acts of retribution against
MDC supporters and candidates. Among those worst affected were winning MDC candidates, of
which there were very few, and supporters in their areas. In Binga, where 16 out of 25 wards were won
by MDC, retribution was profound. Again, youth militia are reported to have played role in many of
these acts of retribution. 111
• In Mutasa district, “celebrating” youth militia destroyed five homesteads all belonging to MDC
supporters (victims’ names available).
• In Binga, the government suspended all donor food to starving school children. Officials were
quoted as saying this was to punish the region for its strong MDC vote. The Catholic Church
was ordered to stop its feeding, as were “Save the Children” and “Oxfam Great Britain”.
• The Catholic Bishop of Hwange was successfully pressured to close the Catholic Commission
for Justice and Peace offices in Binga: the organisation was accused by government of having
campaigned for the opposition.
• Three MDC families, two of whom had fielded candidates in the Binga elections, had their
properties burnt down
• In Kamativi ward in Hwange, ZANU-PF supporters severely assaulted a winning MDC
candidate and his wife after the election outcome. Youth militia played a leading role in these
assaults.
• In Bulilimamangwe District, Ward 12, ZANU-PF supporters including youth militia threatened
a violent backlash after MDC won the seat there. Villagers were warned that there would be no
food from government to the ward because they had voted MDC.
• Reports of similar retribution were also received from Lupane and Masvingo.
111 PHR-DK,20 November, ibid, page 13; ZESN, ibid, page 16.
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