Human Rights Forum Report: Who was responsible? Marondera (whom I later discovered is really named Paddington Zhanda, and is the Zanu (PF) chairman for Mashonaland East) threw a teargas canister at us. There were about 7 or 8 of us. Everyone started running away, but I could not go far and I surrendered to them. Some of them, the first group which captured me did not assault me, but when another group came, the assaults began. This group comprised Rudo Nherera, Mai Maperera and Rota Nherera. They were using open hands, fists, and one of them had a stone in her palm, which she used to strike me several times. That was Rudo Nherera. They took me to my place, demanding my cell phone, a pistol (which I do not own), $50 000 and a bicycle and set of sofas that they alleged the MDC had given to me. They managed to get the bicycle, 20 party cards, $2 500 in cash, some MDC literature, 2 videotapes, one audiotape, and 150 MDC t-shirts. They then took me to the Zexcom offices. One of them struck me on my right ear, and it‟s still painful. When we arrived I saw my colleague P.M., who was half-naked, already captured. Before we went to the Zexcom offices we were taken to PG, where Emmanuel Chapanzire and Dudzai Nyagande (MDC members) were ordered to come with us. We spent the whole night at their offices without blankets, and we were ordered to use the MDC t-shirts and campaign material to keep us warm. They then released us the following day, but they came back, alleging that we had phoned our MDC headquarters. F. M. recounts his six-week abduction by Zanu (PF) supporters in which he was tortured and then detained. During his incarceration he was forced to join Zanu (PF) supporters as they went around the area seeking out MDC supporters to assault. In some cases, the group would yell out „Chinja!‟, the MDC slogan meaning „change‟, and beat anyone who gave a positive response. He overheard war veterans who said they were ordered by Paddington Zhanda to kill MDC supporters. Case 36: F.M. (Male) — 25 April 2000 On the 25th of April, they came to my house, but I had been informed that they were coming. I hid somewhere, and they beat my wife with axe handles. My children saw what happened, but they were not beaten themselves. On the night of the 26th or 27th of April they came again, but I was not there again. My wife told them that I had gone to a nearby village, and they followed me there. They found me on my way home. I was almost home when I bumped into them. This was at about 8 or 9 pm. They only identified me as we were about to cross paths, and they threw a rock at me, which hit me in the mouth. I fell down unconscious. I came around in the hospital. I think they carried me to the nearby bus stop, and then took me to the hospital. They had to take me to the police first, though, so that they could get a police report. They said that I had been assaulted, and the police wrote a letter allowing hospital treatment. I think they took me to the hospital because I was seriously injured. I couldn‟t walk, and my body was aching. I was treated the next day, and then they took me back to their base at the Zexcom Offices. They took me each day for bandaging until the treatment was over. I was kept at Zexcom from April to mid May. The war vets at the Zexcom offices addressed each other by their Chimurenga names. They promised that if I joined Zanu (PF), they would do away with the MDC cadres, and I would get something after the elections – I would have some proper employment. All I had to do was to tell them the names of all the MDC supporters that I knew. I just told them I had been approached by some people from Harare, who I did not know, and I could tell them their names, but I did not know where they were. In truth, I had recruited a lot of MDC supporters, since I had started campaigning between February and March. Many of them were colleagues of mine at Chitimbe School. The rest of the MDC supporters that were captured had their cards taken and were beaten. The cards that were captured all had my name on them as the person who had distributed them These people were often beaten up in front of the rally. The one who did this the most was Zhanda (Paddington Zhanda, known as Marondera, is the Zanu (PF) Mashonaland East Chairman). He was the one telling the youths “If you see an MDC supporter, you must kill him” (I overheard the war vets at Zexcom saying that he had told them this). Every day the people at Zexcom would be chanting slogans, and every night when they were resting they would sing Chimurenga songs and chant slogans. There were many Zanu (PF) supporters there. Some of them had homes nearby, and would come in every day, whilst others were staying there. Every day groups of 20 to 30 would go out in one direction. The war veterans would do some duties while they were there. During the day there were over 100 of them, and they would take turns to address their people. Some of them were from Nhehweyenbwa. I am from Uzumba, which is just over the river from that place, and I know them. Their names are T Chifamba, Marungire, and Kativu, to name a few. They would come back at about 6 in the evening. They were provided with mealie meal and matemba. I heard some of them saying that their chairman, Mr Zhanda, gave them money. They did some duties and some of them go to the beer hall, and when they came back, another group would go. This happened every day, but I didn‟t see who came and went. They said that they were given a lot of money. About once a week they would go for drinking, and they were really happy. It happened many times, and usually if they were drunk they would say, “Our party has lots 22