TWO Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) election agents for Bikita West parliamentary candidate, Kudakwashe Gopo, were yesterday severely bashed and forced to flee for dear life after they allegedly gate-crashed a Zanu PF campaign rally addressed by national commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere.
By Xolisani Ncube
Struggle Nyahunda and Tsvuru Gurwe were intercepted and assaulted by ruling party youths, as they headed for the top table, where Kasukuwere and Paul Chimedza were seated.
They then fled the scene and jumped into a getaway car, with hordes of Zanu PF youths in hot pursuit.
Kasukuwere, who was at Hozvi Primary School in Bikita West drumming up support for the Zanu PF candidate, Beauty Chabaya, dressed down ZimPF leader, Joice Mujuru describing her as “a demon-possessed leader”, with nothing to offer to the electorate since her tenure as Vice-President”.
“This person, who leads this party that is funding an independent candidate, is my neighbour. She did nothing for the people even back home. She has a demon that is haunting her. She failed to represent the people when she was in government, and now she wants you to support her candidate here, Gopo, please don’t,” he said. Kasukuwere accused Bikita Minerals of bankrolling Gopo’s campaign programme through its major shareholder and former Energy minister, Dzikamai Mavhaire.
He also claimed that former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa was pestering him begging to be readmitted into the ruling party.
Asked to comment about the violent attack on Gopo’s agents, Kasukuwere said: “You see, he is so desperate to do anything for his survival. What was he looking for at our rally?”
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But, ZimPF spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire said the attack was unprovoked, as the ZimPF officials had been told the meeting was for distribution of agricultural inputs.
Mawarire condemned “Zanu PF’s thuggish behaviour” and called on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and police to act on the perpetrators.
The ruling party has roped in Psychomotor minister Josaya Hungwe and former top police officer, Edmore Veterai, to lead Chabaya’s campaign efforts.
In his address, Hungwe inadvertently exposed Zanu PF’s vote-rigging plot when he ordered supporters to queue behind their headmen, chiefs and party leaders during the voting process and have their names written down.
“On voting day, leaders here, you should write down names of all the people in your area and lead them as you go to the voting points. Headmen, chiefs and every leader must make sure we vote for the party candidate,” he declared.
Chabaya will battle it out with Gopo, and National Constitutional Assembly’s spokesperson, Madock Chivasa in the by-election slated for January 21 next year. The seat fell vacant after the incumbent, Munyaradzi Kereke, was jailed for raping his minor relative.
