Violence timeline — February to present
February 20, 2018: At the burial of Tsvangirai, in Buhera, rowdy MDCT youths harass party co-vice president Dr Thokozani Khupe and secretary general Mr Douglas Mwonzora before trying to torch the grass-thatched hut they had taken refuge in. Quick reaction by the police, who moved in to disperse the rowdy youths, saved the situation. Police escorted the pair to a nearby primary school’s grounds from where they then followed the proceedings.
March 7, 2018: Twelve people, including Bulawayo deputy mayor Gift Banda and another councillor, Mlandu Ncube, appeared in court in connection with the violence that rocked the MDC-T Bulawayo province on March 4. More than 15 people were injured.
April 2018: Addressing his party supporters at Jerera Growth point in Zaka, in April Chamisa said his party would use violent means to grab power if they lost the polls. “This time around the election is going to produce one outcome and that is victory for the MDC Alliance,” he said. ZEC is a biased referee, a referee who throws away the whistle and joins the other team, we will protest against that, we are going to bring into the streets guys from Mbare Musika they are ready for that. We are not going to leave any stone unturned. In fact, we have given them enough time. This election is going to be very different because I am even ready to take power either by votes or by other means,” he said.
May 2018: MDC-T Chamisa faction failed to conduct primary elections in Hwange for the second time in as many weeks as internal violence continued to dog the opposition party. Violence erupted in Ward 8 and 9, resulting in the party abandoning the polls as sitting candidates comprising Hwange Central National Assembly member Mr Brian Tshuma, Ward 8 Councillor Rhoda Sibanda, Ward 9 Cllr Chiratidzo MaphosaMudimba, her husband Mr Jabulani Mudimba and the party’s district elections officer Mr James Sibanda allegedly visited their rivals’ houses at night, threatening them to withdraw or face unspecified action. On May 14, 2018: Implosion hit MDC-T amid reports that the party leadership imposed National Assembly and local authority candidates for the harmonised election. MDC-T party members staged a demonstration which later became violent outside Harvest House in Harare. They chanted slogans, raised placards and accused some unnamed leaders of imposing their girlfriends as candidates.
June 2018: MDC Alliance aspiring candidates for Mutasa Central and Mutasa North, Trevor Saruwaka and David Chimhini respectively, were summoned to the Mutare Magistrates’ Court on charges of promoting public violence. In the same month, a group of rowdy MDC-T youths reportedly disrupt a church service in Mkoba 10, Gweru, on Sunday, destroying the church’s perimeter fence arguing the church was built on an access road. Worshippers from Light House Fellowship had to run for dear life and seek cover at Mkoba One Police Station after the youths who were reportedly acting on an instruction from the local councillor and Gweru Mayor Charles Chikozho, turned violent and threatened to beat up everyone.