adminFrom George Maponga in Masvingo
One of the two village heads at the centre of a boundary dispute in Mukanganwi communal lands is reportedly battling for life at Silveira Mission Hospital after he was severely assaulted by a group of women angry over the ongoing demolition of homes belonging to Rozvi clan members in Bikita.
Richard Mukari (age not given) who is the village head at Vanhukwavo sustained severe injuries yesterday morning after he was allegedly pummelled with logs and sticks by a group of women protesting against the ongoing eviction of 26 Masunda families from their ancestral land.
The Zimbabwe Chiefs’ Council called on the feuding village heads to promote peaceful co-existence between their different clans.
Police yesterday descended on the restive area and arrested several people in connection with the assault of Mukari and the ensuing violence.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Peter Zhanero yesterday said he was still waiting to get a full report of what actually transpired.
“We have just received information that there are people who were beaten today (yesterday) morning in Bikita in connection with a boundary dispute between two clans. We do not have information on how many people were injured and the extent of the injuries. We have made some arrests but we cannot give the exact number of those arrested because screening of the suspects is still ongoing. We will only give full details once we get all the facts on the table,” said Chief Insp Zhanero.
Sources in Bikita yesterday said a group of women from Furanyi village accompanied by youths allegedly confronted village head Mukari and demanded to know why he was purging Masunda family members by seeking their eviction from the land of their fathers.
The situation allegedly degenerated into violence with the women and youths using logs, sticks and other weapons to beat him resulting in him sustaining severe body injuries and he was rushed to Silveira Mission Hospital.
ZCC president, Chief Fortune Charumbira bemoaned the village boundary war in Bikita admonishing those who seek to victimise others along tribal or clan fault lines.
“While the matter is now before the courts, we feel there was no need to rush to the courts for a solution over a mere boundary dispute between two village heads. There should have been an attempt to exhaust the arbitration by our traditional leadership institution,” he said.
Mukari, a member of the dominant Duma clan in Bikita won a High Court order to evict 26 Masunda family members from their homes last year and so far five homes have already been razed to the ground.
Things took a nasty turn last week after villagers in Masunda teamed up and violently blocked the Deputy Sheriff and policemen from further destroying their homes.
Online Reporter