ZPP condemns Zanu PF intra-party violence

The Zimbabwe Peace Project has noted with concern escalating intra-party violence within Zanu PF being fuelled by factionalism. The recent attack on Energy Mutodi by a suspected rival group which claims alliance to G40 is clear evidence that unresolved factional and succession issues may end up on bloody violence.

Mutodi is reported to have been attacked at a city hotel on August 27 by members of a group known as Children of Zimbabwe War Veterans Association (CoZWA). The same group is alleged to have been the production of a video promoting violence that went viral a few months ago. It is the same group that came under attack by President Robert Mugabe and the First Lady Grace Mugabe at the Matabeleland North youth interface rally.

Mutodi confirmed the incident, telling ZPP, ‘I am now living in fear.’ He suffered bruises to the knee and has chest pains. The incident was reported at Borrowdale Police under RRB 3210042. The perpetrators Munyaradzi Shoko, Jeppy Jaboon and Charles Mungoshi Jnr sat next to Mutodi ready with a recording device and started a discussion on the First Lady which they hoped he would respond to but when he did not take it up, the perpetrators started assaulting him.

The group has reverted to violence despite being publicly rebuked and disowned by President Mugabe at the rally in Lupane. The continued use of violence on other factions is not a good indicator of incidents to anticipate in the road to 2018. ZPP is particularly disheartened at the rise in incidents of violence by this same group regardless of the statement by President Mugabe. ZPP is particularly concerned at the flagrant disregard of the words of the President and first secretary of Zanu PF. The ZPP expects political leaders to have the ability to restrain their supporters particularly towards the 2018 elections.

Zanu PF party supporters clashed at the national heroes’ acre on the day national heroine Shuvai Mahofa was laid to rest while incidents of violence and hate speech were recorded at Mahofa’s funeral wake in Masvingo.

Unresolved conflict may spiral out of control and cause violence. The ZPP urges the ruling party to find peaceful ways of solving the issues that are causing factional fights and conflict within the party.

Source: Zimbabwe Peace Project

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