CCC MP, supporters up for political violence

ROWDY Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters allegedly unleashed a wave of terror — beating and destroying property belonging to Zanu PF members in acts of politically motivated violence triggered by their party’s loss in a council run-off election held in Nyazura on Monday.

Three victims were seriously injured in the post-election melee, and are still hospitalised.

Makoni Rural District Council Ward 33 (Nyazura) went to a run-off election in which Zanu PF candidate, Cde Maxwell Japan, garnered 925 votes to beat CCC’s Ms Priscilla Saruwaka who had 625 votes.

On August 23, the two candidates were tied at 953 votes, hence the need for a runoff which saw Cde Japan winning.

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Manicaland deputy provincial elections officer, Mrs Sekai Chiposi said Cde Japan was duly elected councillor for Makoni Rural District Council Ward 33.

“Cde Maxwell Japan of Zanu PF had 925 votes while Ms Priscilla Saruwaka of CCC had 625 votes. Cde Japan was duly elected councillor for Ward 33. There were 12 rejected ballot papers and the percentage poll was 54.5 percent.

“We announced the Ward 33 results in peace, and we do not know what happened in the streets,” she said.

CCC Member of National Assembly for Makoni Central, Patrick Sagandira, was on Tuesday arrested together with Rusape Town Council Ward One councillor, Teddy Chipere and three other party members for allegedly assaulting Zanu PF members in Nyazura following the announcement of the results.

The violence allegedly broke out around 8pm.

Sagandira and Chipere were being jointly charged with Adam Tumbewe,

Mollen Chihota and Moses Muswe.

They are being charged with public violence as defined in Section 36 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform,) Act, Chapter 9:23.

They all appeared before Rusape magistrate, Mrs Barbra Mateko, on Wednesday and were remanded in custody pending bail hearing yesterday.

The accused persons were not asked to plead.

Messrs Leonard Chigadza, Taurai Khupe and Walter Mangwende represented the five accused persons.

Ms Event Dhliwayo prosecuted, and strongly objected to the issuance of bail, arguing that the accused persons were not proper candidates for bail.

Ms Dhliwayo said the accused persons attacked Zanu PF members who were celebrating the party’s run-off election victory.

“On October 2, at around 8pm, Zanu PF supporters who included Vivian Mushunje, Tafadzwa Muzondo, Lucia Kanachi, Liberty Chimanga, Silas Mutsunguma, Tendai Sibanda, Mwaida Muzondo and Pamela Nyangombwe were celebrating their party’s victory in the Ward 33 election run-off.

“The accused persons confronted the Zanu PF supporters and assaulted them with sticks, stones, catapults, logs and hands. The Zanu PF supporters managed to escape and went to ZRP Nyazura where they filed a report,” she said.

Ms Dhliwayo said the victims were taken to hospital and their medical examination reports can be produced in court as exhibits.

She said three complainants are still admitted in hospital.

In his bail application, Mr Chigadza said his clients were innocent and allegations were fabricated by their political rivals to fix them.

Mr Chigadza further argued that on the day in question, Sagandira never went to Nyazura.