Soldiers deployed in Matabeleland
By Oscar Nkala
Sunday, 20 March 2011 14:34
BULAWAYO – Heavily armed soldiers have been deployed in Matabeleland and
Midlands provinces, a development which human rights organisations fear will
revive memories of the massacres in which 20 000 civilians perished.
Human rights groups say the soldiers have been deployed to intimidate
villagers into supporting Zanu PF ahead of elections which Zanu PF insist
will be held this year.
Information obtained by the Daily News shows a steady incursion of armed
troops into Nkayi, Zvishavane, Plumtree, Gwanda, Rutenga, Mwenezi and
Ngungumbane areas. Already, there has been an increase in reports of
intimidation by members of the army.
But the minister of defence Emmerson Mnangagwa denied that soldiers had been
deployed.
“There is no way soldiers can conduct party business. Zanu PF has structures
that are capable of running on their own, so there will never be any need
for the military to run its politics. Our policy and charter forbid us from
doing so,” Mnangagwa said.
In Plumtree, soldiers attached to border patrol units have turned to the
villages where they engage in routine assault of people and supposed
opposition sympathisers.
Former Bulilima East MP Norman Mpofu told the Daily News that there was
renewed terror campaign by soldiers in Plumtree and the nearby communities.
“Until recently, the soldiers were well behaved but of late they have turned
violent. Two weeks ago, they assaulted nearly everyone who was at the
Plumtree border gate for no apparent reason and we still hear a lot of
incidents where they move through villages threatening people. The people
are scared,” Mpofu said.
Nkayi Senator Robert Makhula said he met soldiers travelling in a convoy of
five pick-up trucks near Tohwe, about 30 north of Nkayi on Sunday.
“I spoke to them and they said they are going out to revamp Zanu PF
structures and to deal with those people who were in Zanu PF but joined
opposition factions. It sounds like a general intimidation pattern which
will harass anyone who does not support Zanu PF,” Makhula said.
Buletsi Sibanda, a human rights activist at Gwanda Agenda also confirmed the
increase in harassment and intimidation by soldiers.
“I have personally handled three cases in which armed soldiers based at
Rustlers Gorge in Gwanda South went to Halisupi Business Centre and forced
two teachers, Charles Gwate and Malvern Ndlovu, to do press-ups and roll on
the ground for allegedly not supporting Zanu PF. A villager Philimon
Gwingwizha was assaulted on that day,” said Sibanda.
He added that community based rights monitors have also reported growing
patterns of threats, violence and intimidation blamed on soldiers deployed
within Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) structures in parts of
Gwanda North.
Zimbabwe African People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) Veterans Trust
spokesman Busta Magwizi said there is a ‘military plot’ to keep Mugabe in
power.
“Yes, there is a military plot to keep Mugabe in power. Soldiers continue to
be deployed to the rural areas in various pretexts to spearhead the
restructuring of Zanu PF and weaken all opposition
ranks.
“Last week, we went to the ground in southern Midlands and parts of Masvingo
and noted a sudden increase of military personnel in Zvishavane, Rutenga,
Mwenezi and Ngungumbane areas where they are restructuring Zanu PF.
“In Mwenezi, I met and spoke to one soldier and perpetrator of violence,
Solomon Mabhenda Ndlovu, known to his victims as ‘Comrade Hazvigoni’ who
confesses to killing at least two opposition MDC
supporters prior to the 2008 elections.
“I also saw one Colonel Xavier Hungwe who is assigned to the Zanu PF
restructuring campaign and is now based at Neshuro Growth Point. There is
also one Major Tshudini Moyo who is restructuring Zanu PF, Mwenezi DCC
structures. They are all involved in acts of violence and intimidation
against the people,” Magwizi said.