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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
Over 60 Zanu-PF supporters were yesterday attacked by suspected opposition activists in Bulawayo’s Old Lobengula suburb during a door-to-door campaign for the party’s ward 12 candidate Cde Mary Ncube.
The campaign was to introduce to the electorate the ruling party’s candidate ahead of the March 26 by-elections.
Cde Ncube will be battling it out with the Republican Party of Zimbabwe’s Esnat Khumalo, Lilian Mlilo of CCC, Visitor Ndebele of MDC-Alliance, and Casper Sibanda of Zapu.
Party spokesperson Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa confirmed the development at a special media briefing at the party headquarters in Harare yesterday.
He said although there was a fruitful by-election campaign rally in Epworth, Harare on Saturday, they were saddened by incidents of violence in Matabeleland.
“We are appealing to the responsible political parties to desist from violence,” said Cde Mutsvangwa, who was flanked by the party’s National Political Commissar Cde Mike Bimha and Director of Information and Publicity Cde Tafadzwa Mugwadi. Cde Bimha said those who were attacked were ferried to hospital for treatment and the incident had been reported to police.
“It is surprising that after holding a successful rally in Epworth here in Harare, this morning (yesterday) we had our members attacked in Bulawayo.
“This morning (yesterday) we had campaign teams who were going around doing their business and we have been informed that they were attacked by members of the opposition.
“They were attacked by people throwing stones and others using catapults. We have several cases of injuries as a result of that,” said Cde Bimha.
“I was in touch with one of our officials in Bulawayo and they tell me that they were on their way to the hospital so that they can give us an accurate report on how many people have been injured and the severity of those injuries. It is disheartening that when you have people who are going about their business peacefully, they are disrupted by violent mobs. We are yet to get the accurate figures.”
The incident, according to sources, happened at around lunch time and two elderly party members, Cde Ninisha Ncube (62) and Cde Annacletah Ndlovu (52), were injured.
One of them was seriously injured and was taken for Computed Tomography (CT) scan at a local hospital.
Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial chairman Cde Jabulani Sibanda said he had heard about the attack, but had not received the full details.
Zanu-PF party Bulawayo spokesperson Cde Archie Chiponda said: “We strongly condemn all forms of violence and we shall give a more detailed response about the issue tomorrow (today).”
According to sources, the party members had just taken a break from the door to door campaign when they were attacked.
“There were 65 people in the yard of the house of chairlady Cde Shingirai Million. It was during an awareness campaign for the people to vote for Cde Mary Ncube. Fortunately, she is in Harare and we were left behind to campaign for her.
We had just finished a door-to-door campaign in Old Lobengula. After lunch, while they were submitting reports at a house there, they were pelted with stones,” said the source.
The hail of stones from opposition activists, the source said, injured some party members with one of them ferried to United Bulawayo Hospitals.
“The house has a hedge and it has gaps, they came from the other side of the hedge and they were many. The men who were there tried to investigate by going out of the gate. It looks like it was a carefully thought-out plan, as they knew when the supporters sit down and relax, they would pounce and disappear.
“The police were alerted and they swiftly attended the scene. Unfortunately, Cde Ninisha Ncube (62), the secretary of the Women’s League, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu District was injured above the eye. She is at United Bulawayo Hospitals and she is receiving treatment,” said the source. – @bonganinkunzi
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