MASVINGO RURAL – Village heads and villagers from Chief Charumbira’s area have accused the Minister of State for Masvingo for fomenting and organising the violence that rocked Chief Charumbira’s home area last week.
The village heads distanced themselves from the violence that was unleashed in the area in a bid to stop MDC A president Nelson Chamisa from visiting the Mutema Family where he wanted to pass his condolences.
The village heads told The Mirror in different interviews that the perpetrators of the violence were prostitutes, hooligans and unemployed youth hired by Chadzamira and Ward six Councillor, Wellington Mahwende, from the gold panning town of Mashava.
Also fingered in organising the violence is Zanu PF Ward 10 councillor Sengerai Manyanga.

Chamisa’s car damaged by Zanu PF activists


However, Mahwende denied the allegations saying he live next to one of MDC Alliance member where Nelson Chamisa was planning to have a private executive meeting which ended prematurely after it was disrupted by the police.
“I didn’t have anything to do with what happened in the Charumbira area. I think my name is being dragged in the mud because I live next Wilstaf Stemere’s house. There was no way I was going to leave my house because there was an MDC meeting next door.
“No one can speak on behalf of Zanu PF except Patrick Chinamasa, national spokesperson or provincial spokesperson. So, anyone who is claiming to be a Zanu PF member and is saying Mahwende was part of the organisers of political violence is just hallucinating,” said Mahwende.
Chadzimira refuted the allegations when asked for a comment by The Mirror. He said he didn’t own any thugs arguing that people who demonstrated wanted to send a message to Chamisa that they didn’t want sanctions.
“I am not aware of what these people are accusing of. People just organised themselves to send a message to Chamisa about sanctions,” said Chadzamira.
Chamisa’s convoy was stoned and ward 5 councillor, Daniel Mberikunashe was injured in the process. After the dust settled The Mirror crew tracked down some of the community leaders to find out their views on the violence that rocked their area. Various bigwigs were sucked in as organisers of thinly veiled anti-sanctions campaign that ended violently.
Village head Mudawose Govo who said that he was a strong Zanu PF supporter said he did not condone violence. He said that people who stoned Chamisa’s vehicles were not from Chief Charumbira’s area. He further said that they were from Mashava and were organised by Chadzamira who is also the MP of Masvingo for Masvingo West.
“We are Zanu PF supporters and it’s fact. We are even proud of it but we are not violent. We voted Chadzamira, but he is now encroaching in community leadership issues. He is the one fanning fights between Chief Charumbira and Chief Bere that is why he bussed people to commit violent acts in Charumbira’s backyard,” said Govo.
Adamson Zvitambo, a staunch Zanu PF supporter said the perpetrators of last week’s violence were not from Charumbira’s area but were thugs hired by Chadzamira from Mashava.
Councillor Manyanga of ward 10 could not be reached for comment as his mobile went unanswered.

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