Degrees in Violence

Andrew Langa

It was Robert Mugabe himself who once famously boasted that he had many degrees in violence. Indeed, if we go no further back in history than the violent farm invasions which started in the year 2000 and the mindless violence meted out to political opponents in the ensuing parliamentary and presidential elections, it is fair to say that violence has become one of the trade marks of Mugabe’s ZANU PF party. It should come as no surprise therefore to learn that, despite Mugabe’s more recent disavowal of violence (for PR purposes), many of his lieutenants in the party continue to resort to what Zimbabweans have come to regard as ZANU PF’s traditional style of politics. Andrew Langa, recently declared the member of parliament for Insiza constituency in Matabeland, and effectively the ZANU PF war lord for the area, is a case in point.

Those acquainted with Langa in even the slightest way confirm that here is one politician who understands no other style of politics than bullying intimidation and brutal violence. The interesting thing about Langa is that he regularly carries a pistol himself and obviously enjoys using it. He relishes the violence and shows his contempt for the rule of law by not even bothering to conceal criminal acts that should have put him behind bars a long time ago. That the police who are frequently themselves witnesses to these acts of criminal violence, do nothing to bring the culprit to justice merely reveals the degree of their complicity with the ZANU PF mafia. Their deliberate inaction erodes still further what little remains of the rule of law in Zimbabwe.

A sample of the incidents of brutish behaviour in which Andrew Langa was involved, before, during and after the recent parliamentary election, reveals something of the character of this man of violence whom Mugabe personally approved as a ZANU PF candidate for the area.

Shortly before polling day Langa was one of a group of ZANU PF thugs who opened fire on a group of eleven members of the MDC Youth Assembly who were waiting quietly for their candidate, Siyabonga Malandu Ncube, at Fulunye Primary School. Others participating in this shooting spree included Spare Sithole, Patrick Hove and Ben Langa. The incident was reported to the police at both Avoca and Filabusi, yet rather than arresting those identified as the perpetrators, the police arrested nine of the eleven victims. The victims have made affidavits and have in their possession 3 of the 10 spent cartridges from the shooting, yet no further action has been taken by the police. Following the incident two of the MDC youths who came under attack were publicly humiliated by being paraded before ZANU PF meetings at the Sidzibe and Bekezela Business Centres.

Later the same day Langa came upon the MDC candidate himself, Siyabonga Ncube, who was then assisting some constituents in checking if their names appeared on the voters’ roll. Langa accused Ncube of coercing the people and threatened to shoot him on the spot. The police who witnessed the incident again took no action against Langa.

On the day of the election Langa with his menacing team of so- called body-guards, deliberately chose to visit areas known to be MDC strongholds in the constituency where he publicly (and loudly) threatened to shoot anyone who dared to vote for the opposition. At the Mgodla Bottle Store within the Sililitshani Irrigation Business Centre, Langa accosted Mr Lot Nsingo, the Ward 3 Chairperson for the MDC, striking him a severe blow to the face. This brazen display of naked violence, combined with Andrew Langa’s apparent immunity from any police sanction, no doubt had a very intimidating effect on voters in the area.

Immediately the official results had been announced Langa and his entourage took a “victory” drive through the constituency. Again in well known MDC strongholds such as the business centre near the home of MDC Vice President, Gibson Sibanda, they shouted threats at the people, vowing to punish those who had voted for the MDC. One of the threats was that they would never again be permitted to buy grain from the GMB (a threats that Langa has subsequently carried out). The rowdy ZANU PF “victors” continued on the rampage throughout the following night.

On April 3rd Langa hosted a “victory celebration” at Vocola Business Centre. He ordered all the shop owners to close their doors to the public until the celebrations were over. At the same time he ordered his supporters to go out and hunt down every MDC supporter they could find in the area. Those MDC supporters who could not get away in time were severely beaten, sustaining serious injuries. The names of five of the victims were supplied to our reporter, but in order to protect them from possible further attack, we feel bound to withhold their names for the time being. We also have independent first-hand accounts of a savage beating resulting in the death of an MDC youth at the hands of ZANU PF youth militia who went on the rampage in the area as a direct consequence of Langa’s invitation and encouragement to his cadres to take retribution. In that instance although Langa was aware that a savage attack was taking place nearby, he refused to intervene to save the youth’s life. Subsequently however, and in order to prevent any report of the murder getting out, he appeased the grieving family of the victim with a gift of six head of cattle and some cash. Although the brutal killing was brought to the attention of the police in Gwanda, there have been no arrests and there is no indication the police are probing the matter further.

On the same day it is reported that the very same ZANU PF thugs who were responsible for the murder of the youth, moved on to the known MDC stronghold of Avoca. Langa was also there and while he shouted abuse at some people who had been enjoying a quiet drink before his arrival, accusing them of being MDC supporters, the youth went on the attack again. On this occasion however, after taking quite a beating the locals began to defend themselves and they soon had their assailants in retreat. At this point Langa drew his gun and fired three shots into the air. The violence subsided but not before a great deal of damage had been done to the premises in which the attack took place. One of the victims of Langa’s storm troopers, Dumisani Mthunzi, was so seriously injured in the incident that the police had to take him to hospital for treatment. Other victims of the unprovoked attack were arrested by the police, but released two days later without any charges being pressed. Once again the police allowed the perpetrators of the violence, Langa included, to walk away scot-free.

That as prominent a politician as Andrew Langa can continue perpetrating one act of brutal violence after another without being in any way restrained or held to account by the police, indicates an astonishing degree of complicity by the police in ZANU PF criminality. But more, it can surely be interpreted in no other way than that this ZANU PF war lord enjoys the patronage and protection of Robert Mugabe himself. The question Zimbabweans should be asking themselves is why ? Given that Mugabe is the high priest of political violence and that he and Andrew Langa are therefore “birds of a feather”, the question still remains why Mugabe allows his lieutenant this degree of freedom to flaunt his loutish behaviour. Could it be that, like some of Mugabe’s other cronies, Langa has something on his master that the master simply cannot afford to be known publicly?