This week, Zimbabweans using various social networking platforms expressed anger and disapproval following the circulation of a video in which a Zanu PF official and war veteran Fannie Chikomba is seen forcing a group of seven women to chew raw pepper before beating them up using a hosepipe, as punishment for stealing maize cobs from his farm.
The video, which went viral on social media, was recorded at Chikomba’s Pondoro Farm near Lions’ Den on Monday.
Chikomba is the ruling party’s provincial administrator for Mashonaland West.
He said the next time he catches the women stealing, he was going to beat them on their buttocks.
“I want each of you to eat this pepper before I beat you up … bring those hands and the next time I catch you I will beat you on the buttocks so that your husbands will not derive pleasure in touching them,” said Chikomba using the vernacular Shona.
The seven women are also seen in the video, taking turns to receive the thrashing on their open palms.
But, when one private daily questioned Chikomba why he did not report the thieving women to the police, the war veteran contended that the police fines were too low to deter them from stealing.
He told Newsday that he was sick and tired of people stealing from his farm.
“The fines they are asked to pay are too little compared to the cost of maize stolen. I have taken a lot of people to the police, besides that, it was a light beating just to scare them away.”
Most Zimbabweans are reported to be food insecure following an El nino induced drought which resulted in agonisingly poor yields.
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Additional Reporting: Zwnews
