Farmers Tortured For Not Attending Zanu (PF) Rally
07/11/2010 20:33:00
MASVINGO, November 7, 2010- At least 15 resettled farmers from Cooden Farm
about 20 kilometers west of Masvingo town were severely tortured by Zanu
(PF) youths on Saturday evening for failure to attend a rally held in
Mangwandi area under Chief Zimuto.
The farm was grabbed from its white commercial owner 10 years ago.The
farmers who are being accused of being sell outs said they were threatened
with eviction from the resettlement area.
The marauding youths were being led by individuals identified as Abel
Mudzengi, John Musvavi and an accomplice only known as Samaz.
“We did not attend the rally because we were given a short notice and we had
other plans for the day but thugs later invaded our homesteads and started
assaulting us for being sell-outs,” said one of the farmers.
He said they were being labeled Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
supporters and therefore the ward chairman Abel Mudzengi told them not to
prepare for the coming farming season because their fate was to be decided
by party elders.
However, Mudzengi who is also a war veteran refused to comment but warned
that ‘those who rush to the media are shooting themselves in the feet’.
“Why should I tell you what is happening in our area? Whoever is telling you
this story is adding paraffin on the burning fire,” said Mudzengi.
The tortured farmers said they were afraid to seek medical treatment at
Masvingo General Hospital as it might provoke the perpetrators.
“We are just trying to help each other while at home. We are afraid that if
we report them to the police or go to hospital, they might become more
dangerous and evict us over night or burn down our houses,” said one of the
victims.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Tinaye Matake said the police will
only act after getting a report from the farmers.
However, Zanu (PF) provincial chairman Lovemore Matuke said he needed to
talk to Mudzengi before giving a comment.