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July 2000. Ngela was driving Toyota Landcruiser belonging to Zanu (PF) candidate, Naison
Ndlovu, which was torched.
Matabeleland North Province
Patrick Nabanyama, 19 June 2000, Bulawayo, Bulawayo South.
Nabanyama, the election agent of Bulawayo MDC candidate David Coltart, was abducted from
outside his home in Nketa and dragged onto a truck; he was not seen again. He is still missing
and is presumed dead.
Martin Olds, 18 April 2000, Bubi-Umguza.
In Nyamandlovu, at Compensation Farm, Olds was attacked by Abton Ncube, Pritchard Ndhlovu,
and 100 other war veterans. Olds was ‘riddled with bullets’ in legs and head with other head
injuries inflicted by iron bars and axes. His farm vehicles and his house were burned with petrol
bombs. ZRP claim he fired 250 rounds into a crowd protesting against an earlier shooting of two
villagers and the villagers killed him. Three hundred war veterans under Ncube and Ndhlovu
arrived from Harare in a 12-vehicle convoy armed with AK47s, of whom 100 proceeded to his
farm, passing through a roadblock which later detained white farmers going to Olds’ farm.
Bulawayo branch of ZNLWVA denied all knowledge of this attack. Nyamandhlovu ZRP were
‘extremely unco-operative’, did not respond to CFU call for assistance and refused to comment
later, but ZRP Support Unit was sent by Dabengwa personally after CFU regional president called
him. Ncube and Ndhlovu alleged they had called to discuss land with Olds. The CFU, which was
in phone contact with Olds at the time before his line was cut, said the war veteran militia forced
entry at gunpoint and shot Olds. The killing followed Mugabe’s Independence Day address which
described white farmers as the ‘enemy of the state’ and Hunzvi’s statement that white farmers
had ‘declared war’ on blacks. Olds was allegedly targeted and murdered because of his support
for MDC invasions. No arrests were made.
Midlands Province
Fainos Kufazvinei Zhou, 10 June 2000, Masaga village, Mberengwa West.
Wilson Kufa ‘Biggie’ Chitoro, Midlands chair of ZNLWVA and senior Zanu (PF) office-bearer gave
instructions to war veterans and Zanu (PF) supporters to kidnap Zhou from his home at Danga in
Masaga village on 4 June with two others. Some war veterans and Zanu (PF) supporters were
identified as Nhamoinesu Dziva, Sam Kid Ganyau, Morgan Gumbo, Shadreck Makoni, Francis
Ncube, Elias Zhou, Stephen Hove. Zhou was first beaten with sticks, fists and open hands. He
was forced to swim Mundi River before being assaulted again with sticks, whips, fists and boots.
He was force marched to Texas ranch. He was interrogated and tortured with sticks, iron bars
and booted feet for 4 days, for last 3 by Chitoro, at Texas Farm. He was released three days
later unable to walk. He stopped at Mbwembwe School and stayed there and then later died at
home of late Byron Hove on 9 June. Chitoro, Dziva and Gumbo remanded in custody to July
2000 on murder charge (after Zanu-PF election victory in late June). The remaining four were ‘on
the run’. A total of 20 were arrested after the elections. Chitoro was also charged with public
violence and remanded in custody to 8 January 2001. He was denied bail for a second time by
the High Court on 4 January 2001. Further remanded to January 22 when a trial date is expected
to be set. Chitoro pleaded for a trial date to be set but was instead remanded in custody to 20
February. Further remanded to 17 April robbery and murder charges to be tried concurrently. A
trial date set for 6 June but them the trial was postponed to 27 June after three of his co-accused
turned up late; further denied bail in July 2001. Chitoro denied any allegations of assault and
murder when he gave testimony in an electoral petition against Joram Gumbo for Mberengwa
West.
Zeke Chigagura, 20 June 2000, Gokwe East.
Chigagura, an MDC supporter, was dragged from his home by 20 Zanu (PF) supporters and
assaulted in bush with iron bars. He died of head injuries. He was found dead by Tinos Mudzori,
AMANI Trust: Organised Violence and Torture in the June 2000 General Election in Zimbabwe
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