The Daily Agenda 24-25 June 2008
THE DAILY AGENDA 24 -25 June 2008
Bulawayo Agenda compiles the Daily Agenda from reports and alerts from its network of contacts located in areas served by its chapters. It offers an alternative source of information from the mainstream media that is often restricted in terms of reach and its focus on the grassroots.
25 June 2008
Bulawayo
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has been forced to recruit more teachers as polling officers after they failed to get the number required to man polling stations. ZEC had avoided employing teachers for the voting exercise preferring other civil servants instead. This was after Zanu PF accused teachers for ensuring an MDC victory in 29 March harmonized election. Teachers, along with election agents and observers have borne the brunt of politically motivated attacks in many parts of the country forcing most of them to flee to the safety of towns and cities.
Mpopoma
Zanu PF bases have been set up in Mpopoma and Entumbane suburbs ahead of Friday’s By-election in the constituency. It is alleged that at one of the bases at Msiteli Secondary School, girls as young as 15 years old are staying there with Zanu PF youth. A senior leader of the War Veterans association has been linked to the bases which Zanu PF claims to be part of their campaign strategy. In a related event, people believed to be linked to the bases have been seen recording the addresses of houses with satellite dishes. One of the individuals was on Sunday, accosted by residents revealing that he had been instructed to do so by his seniors in preparation for ‘Operation Dzikisayi Ma-Dish,’ an exercise that will force residents to remove them (satellite dishes). It is not known when this operation would take place. Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, former minister of Information and Publicity faces 4 other candidates in the hotly contested poll.
Plumtree
Shops were forced to close on Wednesday forcing people to attend a Zanu PF meeting held in the border town. The meeting, addressed by war veterans, was to remind the people to go to the polls on 27 June and to vote overwhelmingly for Robert Mugabe.
Gweru
Zanu PF youth militia in full party regalia on Wednesday, set fire to DeBruynnes Service Station in Gweru. The youths try to prevent fire brigade from putting out the fire until they are dispersed by riot police. The filling station supplies Direct Fuel Imports to the Midlands city. Meanwhile, scores of followers of Reverend Obediah Msindo’s church wearing Zanu PF regalia gathered in the city centre on Wednesday disrupting morning traffic. Army and Air force details were then positioned along Gweru’s main street as the crowd later marched to Gweru Theatre for a meeting to ‘Pray for President Mugabe’ in the 27 June run-off. A Bishop Mahwende is alleged to have organized the event and some 20 local pastors have been forced to attend the meeting since, it is alleged, “they had previously prayed for the country and that they had to pry for Mugabe this time around.”
24 June 2008
Bulawayo
Sauerstown residents have been asked to name MDC supporters in exchange for a 10kg bag of mealie-meal. This follows a weekend of political violence in the suburbs of Richmond, North End and Sauerstown where vendors and other residents were assaulted by a mob driven around by Zanu PF’s Joshua Malinga’s son and who were deceptively wearing MDC T-shirts. Malinga is a former senator.
Harare
MDC’s Elias Mudzuri’s rural home was attacked and destroyed by a group of armed men in military uniform. Mudzuri’s 80-year-old father was badly injured while two other people were shot in the legs. The men went on to looted Mudzuri’s brother’s property.
Hwange
The MDC chairlady for Hwange central, Mrs. K Mbewe was abducted by Zanu PF thugs from her house on Sunday and released later that same day. The thugs gave her an option of either surrendering her colliery house or to wear Zanu PF regalia whenever she was at her flea market stall in the town. MDC activists that include Rhoda Sibanda and Befnart Dube have also received similar threats.
Meanwhile, Jerum Mpofu was assaulted by Zanu PF militia after being seen disembarking from MDC MP-elect, Tose Sansole’s car on Sunday. Mpofu fled to a relative’s home 40km away from Hwange after the assault.
An MDC activist, Dimion Tshuma, from Chibala, was sentenced to 8 months in jail after being accused of allegedly referring to Zanu PF militia, ZRP Support Unit and even neighbors who support Zanu PF as “Mugabe’s dogs.” He claims he was ‘framed’ after a mob of 50 Zanu Pf supporters cornered him.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority employees in the coal mining town have been threatened with dismissal if they do not vote for Robert Mugabe in the 27 June election. It is alleged that a message has been circulated that says that since it was due to Mugabe’s generosity that they were employed at the power utility, they should show their appreciation by retaining him as their president.
Lupane
Violence is intensifying in Gomoza. At the moment some MDC supporters were injured by Zanu PF militia and kept at the police station as the police claim not to have transport to ferry them to St Luke’s Hospital. Villagers are also being given 5kg of maize per homestead as inducements to go and vote. This has irritated them since the amount is not enough for their families and they have vowed not to go to the polls.
Reliable sources in Lupane have revealed that Zanu PF intends to use its officials and war veterans as presiding and polling officers in the 27 June run-off. A number of them have already gone for training by the Zimbabwe Electoral Authority.
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