Two MDC Youth activists injured in hit-and-run at Epworth, Harare

Zimbabwe Information Centre Inc

PO Box K824, HAYMARKET NSW 1240

www.zic.com.au

Media Release

March 22, 2010,

Two MDC Youth activists injured in hit-and-run at Epworth, Harare

Alice Banda and Rutendo Bvute were badly injured last Saturday when hit by a car while walking off the roadway at Epworth, the poor urban area on the northern edge of Harare. The two were taken to hospital by police, but the identity of the attacker remains a mystery. Alice and Rutendo are sure that it was a punishment attack by ZANU-PF militia.

Alice Banda has a deep head wound, now with eight stitches, severe grazing on her right shoulder, and extensive bruising. Rutendo Bvuke has a dislocated shoulder and elbow.

The pair had just distributed a suitcase full of clothes among some of the poorest youth in Epworth – a gift from Zimbabwe democracy supporters in New York.

Alice Banda was badly torture din the election violence in 2008, and has been courageous in continuing to work in Epworth. Both she and Rutendo have been badly injured three times now in political violence.

Initially the police stated that the driver did not have a licence and that he had been detained at the Epworth Police Station. But when Alice and Rutendo reported to the police after they were released from hospital, they were told that the driver had been released, but had left his name, address and driver’s licence.

Alice and Rutendo allege that they can identify the driver - a well-known member of the ZANU-PF militia – and the owner of the vehicle, a local ‘war vet’ in the militia mould.

Both had been injured on February 21 this year when ZANU-PF militia in four vehicles drove into an MDC rally called to discuss the proposed new constitution.

Local MDC Senator and co-Minister for National Healing, Integration and Reconciliation, Mrs Sekai Holland, is still waiting for a response from the co-Ministers for Home Affairs to her request for an investigation of the attack on February 21.

“These flashes of violence indicate that the work of the Organ for National Healing needs to be speeded up. But a lack of reliable funding has slowed it down,” said Senator Holland. “I believe that National Healing has now the same high priority as the consultation on a new Constitution”.

Mr Jembere, the MDC MP for Epworth, said that community members want an urgent consultative meeting at Epworth where the official monitoring team for the Global Political Agreement, the two Home Affairs Ministers and the three Ministers for National Healing can listen to the views of the Epworth residents who are resolutely opposed to any continued political violence.

The residents report that the ZANU-PF militia bases that were operating in February have now been re-opened in the guise of licenced wood-selling businesses, run by the same people. The bases are: Donoro in Ward 2, Harare South constituency; in Epworth constituency -  Ward 7 - Garakara and Mai Mawire, Ward 6 – Makandira, Ward 5 – Kadumbu and Solani, and Ward 4 - Reuben.

Mr Jembere said that the presence of these thinly disguised militia bases is making the community very uneasy.

For further comment: Peter Murphy     0418 312 301

Photos of Alice and Rutendo are available.

 

 

Coordinator

SEARCH Foundation

www.search.org.au

Level 3, 110 Kippax St,

Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia

Ph: +61 2 9211 4164; Fax: +61 2 9211 1407

ABN 63 050 096 976

 

promoting democracy, social justice and environmental sustainability

 

This email is provided by the SEARCH Foundation as an information service. Any views expressed are those of the author/s, and not necessarily those of the SEARCH Foundation.

This email is intended for the recipient only. The information (including all attachments) contained in this message may contain confidential or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not reproduce or distribute any part of this email, disclose its contents to any other party, or take action in reliance on it.If you have received this email in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the message from any computer.

 

 

Vicious ZANU-PF attack on MDC continues in Epworth - government responds

Zimbabwe Information Centre Inc

PO Box K824, HAYMARKET NSW 1240

zic.com.au

Media Release

February 23, 2010,

Vicious ZANU-PF attack on MDC continues in Epworth – government responds

ZANU-PF militia continued beating suspected MDC members yesterday in Epworth, a poor township on the edge of Harare, focusing on Wards 4, 6 and 7.

In Ward 7, the beatings are systematic – the militia are going from door to door.  The militia base at Mai Mawire has compiled a list of known MDC members in Epworth which is being used to locate the homes of these on the list.  There are claims from some victims that the police are using the same list to target suspected MDC members.

The Co-Ministers for Home Affairs received a report on the political violence in Epworth on Sunday evening and decided to tour Epworth to hear the stories and to see for themselves the extent of the violence, to visit the injured - and the injurers.

The objective is to stop the violence and to begin the process of both sides learning together to develop their community for the benefit of all.

The names of the injured, those in hiding and those who have a story to tell about these events are being compiled for a correct record. 

Ward 3 Councillor Gift July was the first to be badly assaulted when the beatings started around 1pm on Sunday with the arrival of six vehicles full of ZANU-PF youth militia at an MDC rally called to discuss the proposed new constitution..  Some of the vehicles were pick- ups from the high-density Harare suburb of Mbare.

Amos Midzi, the former ZANU-PF member of parliament and former diplomat, was identified as involved in these terrible events in Epworth on Sunday. Midzi is the chairperson of the ZANU-PF Harare Province.

An additional militia base has been re-opened at Donoro in Ward 2, Harare South constituency. The militia bases established last week in Epworth constituency are located in the following wards:  Ward 7 - Garakara and Mai Mawire, Ward 6 – Makandira, Ward 5 – Kadumbu and Solani, Ward 4 - Reuben.

For further comment: Peter Murphy     0418 312 301

 

 

Coordinator

SEARCH Foundation

www.search.org.au

Level 3, 110 Kippax St,

Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia

Ph: +61 2 9211 4164; Fax: +61 2 9211 1407

ABN 63 050 096 976

 

promoting democracy, social justice and environmental sustainability

 

This email is provided by the SEARCH Foundation as an information service. Any views expressed are those of the author/s, and not necessarily those of the SEARCH Foundation.

This email is intended for the recipient only. The information (including all attachments) contained in this message may contain confidential or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not reproduce or distribute any part of this email, disclose its contents to any other party, or take action in reliance on it.If you have received this email in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the message from any computer.