Justice Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi has been criticised for his remarks which indicated that the government has given the police authority to shoot machete gangs popularly known as Mashurugwi.
The minister had, in an audio-recorded interview with VOA said that killing of terrorists was common practice worldwide.
He said:
Even in America terrorists are killed, machete criminals are terrorists, I talked to the Minister of Homes Affairs for the police to shoot them.
The people called Mashurugwi will be arrested, we will deny them bail because they would threaten their victims after bail application.
He also said that Mashurugwi has become a threat to public security as a result measures are being taken by his ministry and the Ministry of Homes Affairs to enable the police to shoot the gang whithout asking any questions.
Here is a list of Machete gangs who hail from Midlands; President Mnangagwa’s home province compiled by zwnews.com:
Al Shabaab – whose base is at Black Wadada and Gaika Mine is their main territory. susspected to have strong links to ED, the gang temporarily disbanded when Mnangagwa fled into exile towards the end of 2017.
Mashurugwi – originally from the small mining town of Shurugwi
Anaconda – headquartered in Amaveni
Mazero – from village head Gideon’s area (rural gang)
Zviuranda – from Uranda and Mashanda rural areas. (rural gang)
Sithekutheku – a group dominated by the Fengu sub-ethnic community. It conducts regular raids in the Mathe community (rural)
Maketo – operates in Chiundura, also close to Kwekwe. Regularly bands up with Al Shabaab.
Mukwade – a gang that operates in the Empress area.
