SW Radio Africa (London)
Tichaona Sibanda
13 April 2011
Villagers displaced by the political violence that engulfed Nyamapanda early this year have returned to their homes, following the intervention of the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) in Mashonaland East province.
Following a spate of targeted attacks on MDC-T supporters by ZANU PF youths, several villagers in Nyamapanda fled their homes and sought refuge at Harvest House, the MDC-T headquarters in Harare.
JOMIC convened its first district meeting in Mashonaland East on Tuesday, were purveyors and victims of the violence assembled at Nyamapanda police station. Seven villagers who fled Nyamapanda at the height of the disturbances are now back home, SW Radio learned on Wednesday.
Senior district and provincial officials from the three political parties, ZANU PF, MDC-T and MDC-N condemned the violence and called on the villagers to put the past behind them and embrace unity and reconciliation. Tuesday’s meeting is one of many planned for the volatile province.
40 villagers, mainly victims and the perpetrators of the violence, attended the ice-breaking meeting. Speaking on the program, the Hidden Story, Piniel Denga, the newly elected MDC-T chairman for Mashonaland East said his message was to encourage the villagers who held any bitterness to embrace forgiveness and reconciliation.
‘This (Mash East) is an area that saw the most serious atrocities committed during the 2008 elections and early this year. It is true that people were killed and homes and other properties were torched. But yesterday (Tuesday) we humbly appealed to all the people who were affected directly by the skirmishes to allow forgiveness and reconciliation to prevail to avoid future reoccurrence of such mayhem,’ Denga said.
A study done by the MDC-T’s welfare department between 2008 and 2010 claimed that Mashonaland East province emerged as the province with the highest number of perpetrators of political violence.
The report released in July 2010, showed there were almost 4,000 people who perpetrated political violence in the province. The report identified people from ZANU PF and State security agents as responsible for the violence.
‘In Mashonaland East, the main culprit has been identified as Lawrence Katsiru. A few years ago he was imprisoned for nine years for raping a 13 year-old girl in Marondera. Also named in the report is Aqualinah Katsande, the Mudzi West MP who funded ZANU PF youths in the area to unleash a campaign of death, terror and destruction,’ the report said.
‘This violence is an ugly part of our history,’ said Denga, adding he’s heard of reports that some perpetrators have already compensated for the property they destroyed or took during the 2008 violence.
‘I vividly remember one ZANU PF supporter, a perpetrator of violence, saying they admit they wronged their fellow brothers and sisters, therefore it is their responsibility to go to them and ask for forgiveness. If people in higher positions in ZANU PF were able to do the same, because they are the ones that instigate violence, the future might look bright,’ Denga added.
While they were busy calming down tensions in the province, army bigwigs and ZANU PF hardliners were busy deploying soldiers in Tsholotsho district, Matabeleland North province.
Reports there said villagers are now living in fear following the deployment that is meant to intimidate villagers in anticipation of a poll which ZANU PF wants to hold this year.
A relief worker in the area, Zenzo Ndawana, is quoted by VOA saying the deployments over the weekend left local villagers apprehensive as the forces reminded them of the Gukurahundi massacres of the early 1980’s.
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