14 Zanu (PF). Forced attendance at rallies and other intimidation similar to that used in Makoni West was also reported widely. More serious incidents began to emerge in late August and September. A ZESA employee in Chivhu, who was suspected of supporting the MDC and NCA, was abducted from his home in the Northwood suburb by war veteran militia. He was then taken to the Council Community Hall where he was stabbed in the head. He was also beaten and told to renounce both the MDC and NCA. Luckily his wounds were not serious though he required five stitches on his head. 35 During that same period members of the ZNA, who were also employed by the Chivhu town council, abducted and beat four young MDC supporters from the Marondamusha Communal Lands. 36 In addition, Mike Mamire Nyashanu, a Zanu (PF) member and Chairman of the Chikomba Rural Council, was abducted and beaten by other Zanu (PF) supporters. Nyashanu was an old rival of Hunzvi in the area. He was allegedly beaten for not supporting the local Zanu (PF) candidate and not attending local party rallies.37 Violence and intimidation intensified in early September. On 2 nd September, three MDC youths were abducted by Zanu (PF) youths and war veterans in Sengwe town. They were then taken to Chinyamungororo Heroes Acre and beaten. The assailants left the victims for dead, and they were eventually rescued by other MDC youth hours later. In the nearby Diura village, about 15kms from Chivhu town, nearly all of the residents fled due to intimidation by local war veteran militias. Reports of violence and running battles between party youth were rampant in the early part of the month. Although Zanu (PF) had pledged to keep non-resident party supporters out of Chikomba, MDC supporters saw a government bus ferrying Zanu (PF) supporters into Chikomba from Marondera. This mobilization was undertaken to continue the campaign of violence already underway.38 Campaign activity in Chikomba came to a head on 11 September, when Felix Mazava, the headmaster of Mboe Primary School, was beaten to death by unknown assailants travelling in a white twin-cab. Mazava was known to hold both party cards. Both major parties claimed him as their supporter. After that events in the constituency seemed to have hit a point of no return. Days later an MDC supporter expressed his political affiliation when questioned by Zanu (PF) youth. The MDC supporter was then forced to attend a Zanu (PF) meeting where he was severely beaten and stabbed in the head. He was hospitalized for profuse bleeding but recovered and was released. After his release he was again abducted and threatened by Zanu (PF) supporters and CIO members.39 One of the more high-profile human rights violations involved assaults against lawyers. The Chairperson of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) was assaulted along with a witness in the parliamentary election petitions in ZANU (PF) instigated violence in the Chikomba constituency on Saturday, 7 April. Two lawyers working for the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum narrowly escaped. In a letter to the Commissioner of Police in Harare, Mr. Tawanda Hondora, of ZLHR, stated that members of ZANU (PF) assaulted him while police watched. Mr. Gabriel Shumba and Mr. Godfrey Mupanga, both of the Forum, managed to escape but were threatened with assault when they arrived at the local Sadza Police Station to make a complaint. The three had travelled to Chikomba, in the Mashonaland East province, to investigate allegations of intimidation and assault directed at witnesses in the election challenges currently before the High Court. Mr. Hondora was representing Peter Kaunda, the MDC candidate for Chikomba, who was contesting the result. The full details are given in Appendix 2. 35 See ZESN (2001), Chikomba Constituency By-election, HARARE: ZESN. ibid. 37 ibid. 38 See ZESN (2001), Chikomba Constituency By-election, HARARE: ZESN 39 ibid 36 AMANI TRUST: Organised Violence and Torture in the Bye-Elections held in Zimbabwe during 2000 and 2001.