CHINHOYI — MDC leader Welshman Ncube last week claimed his party members recently received death threats from suspected Zanu PF functionaries in Zvimba district and were hounded out of Mashonaland West province, which is generally regarded as President Robert Mugabe’s home ground.
Ncube told journalists last week his party had targeted the province and started restructuring its grassroots there.
The party has reportedly penetrated Kariba, Chinhoyi, Chegutu and Mhangura in a fresh bid to canvass for support ahead of the next general elections.
“Zanu PF is dismantling our structures where we had managed to form branches and wards across the province. They hounded our officials who were recently on a recruitment exercise in Zvimba,” said Ncube.
“In Zvimba, you recruit a person today, the next day you come and they tell you they are no longer interested after being threatened by Zanu PF. The levels of fear, political intolerance and uncertainty in all Mashonaland provinces, particularly Zvimba, which is Mugabe’s home area, are higher than in others where there are greater freedoms.”
A war veteran only identified as Yondo and a militia group are allegedly terrorising villagers for supporting the MDC.
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MDC representative in the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee Tagwireyi Ngwenya confirmed the body was handling a reported case of intimidation of MDC activists by Yondo.
Ngwenya, who is also Mashonaland West MDC chairman, said there were many unreported cases as villagers feared victimisation.