KADOMA – Sanyati constituency situated in Mashonaland West province has turned into a war zone as aspiring Zanu PF candidates battle it out ahead of the party’s primary elections scheduled for Saturday.
The violence has reportedly led some Zanu PF supporters to abandon their homes.
The chaos was further exacerbated by a video that surfaced, showing one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s lawyers, Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba, attacking supporters of Mines deputy minister Polite Kambamura.
Kambamura is the sitting Sanyati Member of Parliament (MP) and is being challenged by Magwaliba and Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena’s younger brother, Tatenda.
Magwaliba is believed to be supported by Zanu PF Arda district chairperson Sylvester Mhirizhonga who was said to be interested in challenging for the hot seat prior to the primary elections.
When contacted for comment, both of the aspiring MPs accused each other of fomenting the violence.
Beauty Jeremiah, the Zanu PF Kasirisiri district chairperson and a victim of the violence, accused Magwaliba of sponsoring the chaos.
She stated that two teenage boys were stabbed for refusing to chant Magwaliba’s slogans at a rally he was addressing at Kasirisiri business centre on Tuesday.
“His (Magwaliba) supporters are threatening those who support Kambamura, unleashing violence, while boasting that he is Mnangagwa’s lawyer and that he will cause the release of his supporters who would have been arrested,” Jeremiah said.
However, Magwaliba denied fuelling the violence, claiming that he was the victim. He stated that four of his supporters were attacked by Kambamura’s loyalists.
“One was chopped by an axe, another shot by a catapult, while the other two were stoned. Kambamura’s supporters ambushed my supporters as we tried to attend to someone they had axed and caused mayhem,” Magwaliba said.
“I have not been retaliating. His supporters have been threatening my supporters. I preach peace at my rallies. Our innocent supporter was arrested and accused of assaulting Jeremiah. He has been released. All I can say is that Kambamura has been sponsoring violence.”
Kambamura was not answering his mobile phone despite repeated efforts to contact him.
The situation is currently tense in Sanyati as supporters of both candidates are on high alert. This violent clash raises concerns about the prevalence of election-related violence and its impact on the country’s political climate.
