RIOT police had to be called at Donza business centre to avert potential clashes between Zanu PF supporters and those from the MDC-T who were demanding their equal share of the presidential farming inputs scheme last Thursday. BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER
MDC-T councillor for Ward 28, Willard Moyo, said Zanu PF supporters, who were led by Anna Mangane, threatened to assault known supporters of the opposition if they tried to benefit from a scheme funded by a president from Zanu PF.
“They came in their regalia singing and chanting party slogans and threatening to assault me and other known party members if we tried to benefit from the 15 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, which was delivered in our ward by the GMB (Grain Marketing Board),” he said.
“Police had to be called in because those accused of being from the MDC demanded that they should benefit and refused to budge, while Zanu PF supporters dug in, creating a tense stand-off.”
Zanu PF Midlands spokesperson, Cornelius Mpereri, denied allegations that Zanu PF youth and leaders were personalising inputs, saying it was shocking the allegations were coming from a councillor.
“The procedure from the way I understand it is that the councillor is the one who goes to the GMB and signs for the inputs, it is with his help that the distribution is then effected,” he said.
“At no point did our disciplined youths and party leadership disrupt the process.”
Moyo said Zanu PF supporters and some village headmen were refusing to work with him because they wanted to work with their losing candidate, Ester Muranga.
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“I am in the process of trying to get this matter into a court of law because people cannot be denied access to government inputs on the basis that they belong to another political party,” he said.
“I have approached ZimRights for guidance and assistance to ensure we get an order compelling the party to stop this act of terrorism.”
In 2012 a village headman and other MDC-T supporters were beaten up by soldiers in Zhombe after they were accused of benefiting from the presidential inputs scheme before attending an MDC-T rally.
Several were wounded and one person eventually died from injuries sustained just before the July 31 2013 general elections.
