adminMidlands Correspondent
Infighting in MDC-T’s Zvishavane District took a violent turn when the district’s chairperson, Mr Jabulani Ncube, was injured after he was reportedly attacked by party youths while at his home in the Dadaya resettlement area. MDC-T Zvishavane District has been rocked by divisions with one camp aligned to the party’s provincial chairperson, Mrs Lillian Acropol, while the other is reportedly being led by former Zvishavane area prosecutor, Mr Leopold Mudisi.
Sources within the opposition party yesterday said Mr Ncube, a long time ally of Mrs Acropol who recently defected to the Mudisi-led camp, was ambushed by a group of party youths while at his homestead.
The sources said the youths used logs and stones to attack Mr Ncube.
“Mr Ncube, who is based in Zvishavane town, had gone to his homestead in Dadaya resettlement area when he was attacked by some party youths. The youths were accusing Mr Ncube of defecting to Mr Mudisi’s camp and they were driving a Toyota Corolla owned by Mrs Acropol,” said the source.
The source said Mr Ncube saved himself by fleeing into the bush. “He was, however, injured after the youths, some of whom were wearing masks, pelted him with stones. He later called the party’s provincial elections director, Mr Obert Tachi Ncube, who organised transport for him to be taken to the hospital where he was treated and discharged,” said the source.
The source said Mr Tachi-Ncube persuaded Mr Ncube not to report the matter to the police and promised to solve the matter internally.
“The provincial executive, through Mr Tachi-Ncube, assured Mr Ncube that he was safe and that the matter would be solved internally. We, however, felt the matter was supposed to be handled by the police. We have since reported the matter to the police at Zvishavane Police Station,” said the source.
Mr Ncube confirmed that he was attacked by MDC-T youths.
He, however, declined to give details saying the matter was now being handled by the party’s provincial executive. “It’s true I was attacked while at my homestead on Monday evening but the matter is now being handled by the party. It was an in-house attack so the party promised to address it. You can contact the provincial chairperson, Mrs Acropol for a comment,” he said.
Mrs Acropol said she was not aware of the incident.
She dismissed claims that the group, which attacked Mr Ncube belonged to her camp. “I am now a national figure and right now I am in Harare attending to national issues. I am too senior to be involved in petty district level fights and those who fought each other should sort out their quarrels without dragging my name into the mud,” she said.
Mrs Acropol also denied that she owns a Toyota Corolla which the suspects were alleged to have driven to Dadaya.
“I do not have that kind of a car (Toyota Corolla) and almost everyone in Zvishavane knows my car,” she said.
Police in Zvishavane confirmed the assault case.
They said they were still investigating the matter.
Online Reporter