Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Report on political violence in Bulawayo, Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Midlands Case 9: Budiriro On 11 May I happened to be moving around. I saw Zanu PF people were at the shops having a meeting. They asked me: “Where do you come from.” I said Budiriro 2. I’m here to see a person”. I was not wearing an MDC T-shirt, but I am an MDC member. They said I was an MDC spy. I was taken to Dr Hunzvi’s surgery and there I found two young boys, aged about 17-20 who had been caught on a rally. They had no T-shirts or cards. They were also from Budiriro. When I got inside I was given a paper on which to write all of the structures of MDC, the Chairman, organising secretary, MP etc. As a member I have never participated, and didn’t know anything. They detained me from just before 12 midday on Thursday to around 1.00 pm on Friday. They were beating me and using electric wires. They changed over, sometimes there were three, sometimes two. They took our clothes. Three of us were locked, all naked, in one room. Three people could be hitting one person at a time. I have wounds from wires all over my body. At around 11.00 pm on Thursday night, they took us out into the yard inside the wall around the premises, but outside the house. There were a good number of them, more than forty. They wanted us out so they could sleep inside. We were guarded outside. I was beaten. I can’t hear with this ear and someone stuck his finger in my eye. I could identify only one person who resides in Budiriro. I have known him since about 1996. Most of the guys are Ndebele speakers. Some of the people at the surgery are war veterans, others are not. The last guy who released me is a soldier from Mutare. Even around 12 midnight where we were. He was near us just outside, trying to get them to release us. During the day the police were not allowed inside the wall, but at night they were allowed to come and take victims out. Those young guys were not released because they wrote down some names of those in the party structures. They were kept and told that they would be released if the other guys whose names they had mentioned were found and brought in. I was allowed to go, but the others were not. The policeman remained inside and continued to try and persuade them to release the others. I made a report to the police and they gave us letters to go to hospital. Case 10: Budiriro I was coming from a rally and they took me to Gladys Hokoyo’s place. It was a Sunday, before the Easter weekend - I think it may have been 16 April. They tortured me and I pretended to look like I had died and so they left me close to her house. They beat me with sticks and tied strings tightly around my neck and penis. Hokoyo was not there but the moment she arrived she took me to the police station and she said I had gone to her house to stone and set the house on fire. Police arrested me. I only know one of the Zanu (PF) guys who was there. Since then there was a visit to my home during my absence, of about six guys in the Twincab, which is Hokoyo’s car. I have moved from there to another house. Case 11: Budiriro The complainant is the MDC chairperson for Budiriro constituency. Sometime in March but on a day which the complainant cannot specifically remember Zanu (PF) supporters assaulted an MDC supporter, Francis Kagonye. The MDC supporter sought refuge at her house in Budiriro. Following this incident some were instructed to guard her. On 8 May the guards were kidnapped while shopping in Budiriro. They have not been found since then. On the day her security personnel was kidnapped. The complainant fled her house since she no longer felt secure. On 15 May a group of war veterans broke into her house and unlawfully removed therefrom certain pieces of furniture. On 16 May on or about 2.00 pm war veterans returned to her house and set it alight. All property in the house was destroyed by fire. The property is valued at $179 468,97 Police witnessed the whole incident but did not move in as the war veterans were armed with firearms. Case 11: Dzivarasekwa On 12 June at about 5.00 pm a group of 20 Zanu (PF) supporters clad in party T- shirts ambushed the complainant at his home and hit him with a metal rod .The complainant fractured one of his ribs .The matter was reported to the police . Case 12: Mabvuku On 9 June, at around 5.00 pm, I was with a group of about 20 MDC youths who were sticking up MDC campaign posters. We were approached by 3 pick-up trucks carrying Zanu (PF) supporters, and so we fled. As I was running, I fell, and so they caught up to me and began to assault me. I sustained a fractured left arm. I took refuge in a nearby house, and when it was safe I made a report at Mabvuku Police Station (RRB 429510) 32