"ZANU PF Is Currently Fractured Over Murehwa Violence," - Party Official
ZANU PF is reportedly divided over the violence meted out by its supporters against elderly Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members in Murehwa North, Mashonaland East Province.
The divisions emerged following the arrest of a ZANU PF member and war veteran Never Chimutashu in connection with the attack that was recorded on a video which has gone viral on social media platforms, NewsDay reported.
Chimutashu is reportedly a member of a ZANU PF affiliate group called Heritage which is mainly headlined by war veterans.
Some ZANU PF leaders in Murehwa, who anonymously spoke to NewsDay said the move was miscalculated and unnecessary and has brought a negative image to the party in the area.
The victims of the torture, from the Bhunu area in ward 4, have been taken to a safe house in Harare where they are receiving medical and psychological attention.
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Chimutashu was tipped about the gathering and allegedly unleashed some youths to deal with them, NewsDay reported citing a leaked chat by some suspected ZANU PF officials in Murehwa.
The assault is said to have been organised at Murehwa Centre during a national clean-up exercise that was attended by mainly ZANU PF supporters.
The youths were reportedly mobilised by Mashonaland East provincial youth league secretary for finance Timothy Gowo an owner of some buses and ZANU PF’s aspiring candidate for the Murehwa West constituency.
ZANU PS’s Murehwa district coordination committee leadership reportedly authorised the release of a party vehicle to ferry the youths to ward 4 where the violence occurred.
The other vehicle reportedly belonged to Gowo.
A top ZANU PF official told NewsDay that the issue has divided the party in the district which could possibly affect its standing in the forthcoming election. Said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity:
Murehwa is currently fractured and this has been worsened by the recent violence in Bhunu.
The provincial and district leadership erred. There was no need for violence, and worse of that magnitude. The perpetrators are known, the process is clear, it is not a secret. We now have two camps in this area and this will affect us as far as election results are concerned.
ZANU PF Mashonaland East provincial chairperson and Murehwa North constituency legislator Daniel Garwe distanced his party from the attacks.
Police also arrested Paul Kachigu (34) and Dignity Nadzo (31) in connection with the politically motivated violence.
