Over a hundred machete and logs wielding Zanu PF thugs unleashed an orgy of violence on Sunday in Norton’s rural ward 14 Mutubva attacking CCC aspiring candidate Richard Tsvangirai’s campaign team who were conducting door-to-door outreaches.
Seven CCC activists were injured and two fractured their arms in the vicious attack led by well established Zanu-PF activists Forget Chinhamo and Wisdom Choto.
The incident was reported at Norton Rural Police Station under RRB5125971
A medical report was issued by police for the victims.
Tsvangirai’s 60-person campaign team was divided into clusters and conducted door-to-door campaigning in Ward 14 Mutubva before being ambushed and assaulted for allegedly invading “Zanu-PF territory.”
CCC supporters interviewed by Nehanda Radio who were victims of the weekend’s assault stated that the brazen attack was a well-choreographed script to portray a case of provoked political violence.
“We were campaigning in (Norton’s) rural ward 14 called Mutubva where we were ambushed by Zanu-PF activists.
“The Zanu PF activists thoroughly beat us, telling us not to campaign in their area (Mutubva) and we thought we were about to die.
They took my CCC t-shirt, and campaign fliers forced us into a vehicle, and made us hold torn ED (president Emmerson Mnangagwa) campaign posters, which they tore themselves and took pictures of us saying we want to report you tearing our party posters,” said Shadreck Nakoma one the injured CCC supporters.
CCC activist Albert Tembo who was also a victim lamented how opposition supporters were forced to hold torn ruling party posters which they had not torn.
“I am one of the victims who was assaulted at ward 14 Mutubva, by Zanu-PF activists purporting we tore their campaign posters, which they mischievously tore themselves.
“We were forced to hold the torn posters lying down, while they took pictures to fabricate misleading evidence that we were engaged in some of violence tearing Zanu-PF posters.
“We did not engage in violence, but we were only campaigning peacefully until the vicious assault we suffered,” said Tembo.
Tsvangirai, who was accompanying his campaign team in Mutubva, said he was not injured in the incident but regretted how the continual cycle of violence has tarnished the credibility of this election, adding that he will not be intimidated by acts of violence.
“I strongly condemn acts of violence. Violence and intimidation affect the integrity of elections because the outcome will not reflect the will of the people.
“People should be able to choose their leaders freely. This election is showing signals that it’s not going to be free and fair.
“Such violence won’t stop me from fighting for a Zimbabwe for everyone. We will continue until Zimbabwe is free,” he said.
