Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Report on political violence in Bulawayo, Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Midlands Last night some Zanu (PF) members came to me and asked me where my husband was. They said “ We are Zanu (PF) members, and we want your husband. Where is he?” I said that he was staying far away, but he’s really in Budiriro where the members are staying. The told me to open the door, but I refused, saying that they would hit me. They stayed for 5 minutes, demanding to know where he was, and then they left. There were four of them, but I don’t know where they were from. Case 7: Budiriro On Monday last [8 May] Zanu PF people came to my workplace and told me to surrender T-shirts and cards and caps. I am an advisor to the MDC youth in the area. They told me they were going to take me to Hunzvi’s surgery. This was around 11.00 am. I gave them all the T-shirts and cards. I didn’t have any caps, but because I didn’t surrender any, they started hitting me with an iron cord. They beat me until I surrendered all the information. I told them about the structure of MDC in Budiriro 4. Then they released me by 7.00 pm. All the time they were beating me with electrical wires. There were about 120 war veterans and Zanu (PF) supporters. They spoke both Shona and Ndebele. Both men and women beat me. They beat me with the kind of electrical cord used by ZESA (the electricity company). They were beating me on my back and some of the women were using bottle tops (metal) to pinch the skin around my groin. It was the same three men who beat me each time and three ladies. The ladies were using their hands to slap me. There was an officer and a commander in charge. The officer was from Matabeleland, an Ndebele man known as Dube. The other man was an old man, more than 50 years old, a war veteran. He was from Manicaland, but he was just known as the “Commander”. There were also some who said they were CIO there, but they didn’t carry a card. I was telling them names. I told them that the chairman of Budiriro district is Chimedza and I told them where he lives. Then they released me. I was afraid. The police said they have been told not to enter the place. Later on I talked to the CID squad. They said there is nothing they could do for me. I was in a lot of pain and couldn’t work. I still have pains. They are starting to heal. I am back to work doing light duties. Case 8: Budiriro I am unemployed as a result of Zanu (PF). I was working at a transport company, which is owned by my uncle. It is a small business in Budiriro. They began coming there after the referendum, sometimes once or twice a week looking for me. One day they came and I was there and I told them that I was not Oliver. They were from the CID and CIO. They came in white Defenders with private number plates, and that is how I know who they were. I had to leave work then. I am now living in Budiriro 4 with other MDC supporters. We all moved there as a result of political violence. Last night seven of them came, armed with AK47s. They threw stones. Some of those who came were people who later tortured me. They threw two petrol bombs into the house and we managed to put out the fire. Last Monday [8 May] I was taken to Hunzvi’s surgery. We were at the shopping centre trying to buy bread, myself and two others. I am well known. Someone must have pointed me out. There were about 20 of them. But they were also about 90 war veterans who came to the shops. It was about 7.30 in the morning. They caught me and one other. They took us to the surgery and told us to remove our clothes. They started to beat us on the ribs with a wooden stick. They tortured us with car jumpers [jump leads]. They gave us electric jolts under the arms and on the genitals. They wanted to know our names and positions. They came with a book where names and positions were written. I told them a false name, but when I was checking the book I saw my real name. No 10 on the list with a star beside it. They told me the names with the star are the ones we want. Then they asked me where the others are and where they stay. They beat me under my feet using electrical wires. We were tortured in shifts of guys and including women and they were different people who came each time. I told them that I am not MDC but in the NCA so they started to ask me about Lovemore Madhuku and others. The commander there is an old man, an ex-combatant. A group of them came from Gutu and some from my home village there. There were about 150 people there altogether. It is a big house with seven rooms. The women were fond of electrical jolts; they seemed like war veterans. They were not only war vets - some of them were young, some even less than 22. They spoke Shona, Ndebele, Venda. They just wanted me to go back from MDC. They want us to surrender T-shirts and cards and said that if you join us then we can give you money. They said some of the people there used to be MDC but have changed to Zanu (PF), but I didn’t see any I knew, they may be lying. After about three hours then the police support unit came. They didn’t come in, but those inside saw the police and told me to put on my clothes and get out of the surgery. They let me out but not my friend. 31