Human Rights Forum Report: Who was responsible? Garai Chikwizo, Solomon Kanyoko, Damiano Muwhata, Chimhango, Mr Muwata, Mujuru and Elec Navhaya Case 29: J.C. (Male) — 16 April 2000 On the second of April there was a Zanu (PF) rally at Chipako Stores in Chief Chikwizo area. The Zanu (PF) leaders in the area moved throughout the villages forcing people to attend the rally. Garai Chikwizo, who is the Zanu (PF) leader in the area, and a Councillor called Chimhango were the main figures forcing the people to attend the rally. They were assisted by Solomon Kanyoka who called himself the acting chief and a man simply known as Navhaya. At the rally the aforementioned Zanu (PF) leaders took turns to denounce UP and its leader calling it an undesirable element in the country. Zanu (PF) was said to be the only legitimate party in Zimbabwe. They said the UP should not be supported as it had caused the death of many people in the colonial era. Chimango warned people not to campaign for or they could face the consequences. Garai Chikwizo ordered everyone to pay money for Independence celebrations regardless of the fact that you did not support Zanu (PF). Everyone paid out of fear. After the Independence celebrations there was another Zanu (PF) rally at Chipako shopping centre and everyone was forced to attend. The Zanu (PF) parliamentary candidate Joseph Kaukonde was present. Also present were Damiano Muwhata, Garikayi Chikwizo and Mujuru. Mujuru spoke first and introduced Kaukonde. Kaukonde said that by electing him to contest in the forthcoming elections they had made a mistake because he was not going to allow anyone to vote a rival party and anyone found supporting a rival party would pay. He ordered all MDC and UP supporters to surrender their t-shirts. He told us that Zanu (PF) had bought the police and the polling officers such that if we voted for any other party they would open the ballot boxes and see the number of votes cast for a rival party and they would know the people who cast the votes and fix them. Soon after this rally we confided our fear to the police who said there was nothing they could do as they were afraid of being victimised. In early May there was another rally attended by Damiano, Mujuru and others. Prior to this we had surrendered our UP cards to the kraal head, who is also a UP member. The Zanu (PF) leaders arranged another rally for the following Wednesday. Everyone was ordered to be there. The day before the rally there was a funeral. At the funeral Zanu (PF) youths would come and collect people, UP supporters, and beat them up. On Wednesday I went home. I went where my scotch cart had broken down with a view to repair it. The Zanu (PF) youths came to my home and asked me whether I was going to the rally and I said I was. They asked me to bring my UP card and I told them I had already surrendered it. When we arrived at the rally. Juru was speaking. He ordered all UP supporters to stand on one side and MDC supporters on the other side. He then said „madziona here mhondi idzo, zvigu tsa zvinofanira kugoborwa „ („Do you see these murderers? They are stumps that should be uprooted‟). Our names were written down and Mujuru said they wanted the names so that if Zanu (PF) loses they would fix us. Mujuru called me after he was told that I was the District Organiser and Provincial treasurer of the UP. Damiano called the headman and told him that he did not want me in the village anymore. They took me and Shacky Njanji to Kotwa where we were subjected to further harassment. They wanted us to give them the names of all UP supporters in the area but we told them that it was not available as it had been confiscated by Zanu (PF) youths. We were then told to walk back from Kotwa to our homes about 30 km away. This was after they had thoroughly beaten with logs. We walked and arrived home at around 3:00 am. My wife took me to Damiano‟s home and tried to reason with him that what he was doing was bad. The following day Zanu (PF) youths came again. They found me and my wife and a mentally retarded child. They started breaking window panes. My mentally retarded son started fighting the thugs. I took my jacket and tried to run away but they grappled with me. I let go of the jacket which had money in it ran away and made my way to this place. I left my family at the mercy of the thugs. I don‟t know if they are still alive or not. It pains me to think of my boy fighting with those thugs. They are totally callous and inhuman. They are murderers and I am sure if I had not taken to my heels they would have killed me in cold blood. Letter from (name withheld) dated 25/09 addressed to (name withheld) states that those behind the violence were Mr Muwata (the chief) and Elec Navhaya (Zanu (PF) District Chair of Chikwizo) with Mujuru. (Does not wish to be called as a witness for fear of victimisation). Property damaged: Sewing Machine, one metre solar system, clothes and blankets, furniture, kitchen unit, cups, plates, window panes for two rooms. $19 000 was also lost. The vehicle that drove victim to Kotwa was a green Nissan Hardbody reg no. 730-289R. 20