MASVINGO – Rogue Zanu PF youth travelling with outgoing Zanu PF Gutu North MP Yeukai Simbanegavi manhandled Gutu South CCC aspiring candidate Samuel Tsvangirai at Chinyika Business Center in Gutu on Sunday and almost bundled him into the back of the legislator’s truck before opposition supporters intervened.
The Zanu PF youth including Simbanegavi’s driver accused Tsvangirai of allegedly taking pictures of them as they charged at CCC supporters.
The incident happened after Simbanegavi and the youth allegedly waylaid the CCC supporters travelling in a truck at the business center some 40km north of Mpandawana Growth Point.
Simbanegavi confirmed the incident to The Mirror and that she was travelling with the youth. She queried Tsvangirai’s presence in Gutu North when he comes from Gutu South. She accused CCC supporters of going round provoking people and said that she had reported the matter to Police.
The Mirror has a video of the incident.
Tsvangirai also confirmed the incident adding that Zanu PF was paranoid of and would attack anything yellow. He declined to say what action he will take against his attackers.
The youth involved in the violence are all unemployed, were drunk and well known in the area.
They included Francis Mahachi who comes from Hanisi Village near Rafomoyo School in Gutu Ward 9; Bennie Mutare from Farm 112 Nyazvidzi next to Domborenikiti Primary School; Munyaradzi Mutare who stays near Mutanda Primary School Ward 9; Musengi Hunyanyiwa from Firomumwe in Ward 10, Maxwell Chiwanda from Chirozva Village in Ward 10; Blessing Wititi from Guchacha in Ward 10, James Mataruse and two others only identified as Tranos and Maggie.
Maggie who is understood to be working from an office at Gutu Rural District Council threw dust into Tsvangirai’s face and head. Mahachi was the most aggressive of the Zanu PF youth.
The attack happened while Simbanegavi sat at a disused hall, 200 metres away, according to Zanu PF youth who spoke to The Mirror. The majority of the youth allegedly refused to carry out the attack on CCC supporters after complaining that they could be injured.
Mahachi and Bennie Mutare confirmed that they were with Simbanegavi on the day. Mahachi confessed that he was involved in the attack while Mutare said he was just at the scene.
A senior CCC member who was at the scene condemned Simbanegavi for her alleged appetite for violence.
“Very soon she will have innocent people’s blood in her hands. I hope she is old enough to remember that two Zanu PF youth were killed at the same business center where she was agitating for violence in 2008 after angry villagers mobilized and overran a torture camp. She must not continue to take people for granted. Elections are lawful and who is she to dictate who participates or not?” asked the CCC member.
The youth only stopped bundling Tsvangirai into the vehicle, when CCC councillor Bernard Chimwango warned them that they were about to commit a serious crime which is kidnapping. He also warned them that he was not going to fold his hands while they do that.
Simbanegavi who did O Levels at Gutu Mission in 1995 comes from Simbanegavi Village in Gutu Central Constituency. Her mother Elizabeth Simbanegavi is a councillor at Gutu RDC. Simbanegavi worked at some shops in Gutu District before she joined the Ministry of Women Affairs at Mpandawanana.
Parliamentary seats for Gutu have over the years been dominated by former Gutu RDC workers with three former employees currently being either MPs or Senators. – Masvingo Mirror
