THE ugly head of political violence reared its ugly head last week after houses belonging to MDC-T activists were burnt down by suspected Zanu PF functionaries in Mashonaland West province.
Report By Own Correspondent
In the first incident, two houses belonging to MDC-T Mashonaland West provincial secretary for finance and economic affairs Clever John Dindiwe were completely burnt down on Wednesday last week by suspected Zanu PF activists who reportedly want to force him off his 20-hectare farm.
Dindiwe told NewsDay yesterday that on the day in question at around midnight, arsonists went to his Pangwarati Farm, Plot 15 in Hurungwe North, and set one of his huts on fire, destroying household property, farming inputs and an undisclosed amount of cash in the inferno.
“I reported the first attack to Karoi Police (RRB 1595179), but the suspects were not arrested,” Dindiwe said.
“The attackers returned on Thursday night and set alight another hut in which my 70-year-old farm labourer was sleeping. Everything in the house was burnt to ashes. I made another report (RRB1595195) at Karoi Police, but the suspects are still roaming scot-free.”
Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara was unreachable for comment yesterday.
The MDC-T official, who believes he was the target of the attacks, alleged a Zanu PF ward councillor (name supplied) had threatened retribution against him for refusing to vacate Pangwarati Farm.
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“Before the latest attacks, he (the councillor) gave me a two-week ultimatum to leave my farm which I was allocated in 2000 and threatened he would harm me for staying put. He keeps saying MDC supporters should not benefit from the land reform,” alleged Dindiwe, who also runs businesses at Nyamakate business centre.
Strenuous efforts to get comment from the implicated councillor were fruitless yesterday.
In a related matter, MDC-T Magunje district youth chairman Owen Garadhi also had his house burnt down by suspected Zanu PF assailants last week.
It is also understood that Zanu PF activists have set up camp near Gadzema shopping centre in ward 22, Chegutu East constituency, where they were allegedly intimidating villagers.
