Zimbabwe Standard (Harare) : 28 March 2004
Zanu PF has deployed the notorious "Green Bombers" in Lupane constituency ahead of a by-election set for May 15 and 16, The Standard can reveal.
The deployment of the Zanu PF militia comes barely a week after the opposition MDC publicly announced a candidate for the Lupane by-election.
The MDC will be represented in the by-election by veteran educationist, Njabuliso Mguni, who is pitted against Zanu PF's Martin Khumalo.
Contacted for comment this week, Zanu PF, war veterans and the militia admitted that they were now in Lupane but said they were in the area to help uplift the standard of living for the poor and school leavers.
Jabulani Sibanda, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association (ZNLWA) president, said some war veterans, Zanu PF militia and members of the youth wing were operating in Lupane but in a peaceful manner.
"I have an appeal to make to those already in Lupane to desist from violence, thuggery, intimidation and threats. Elections are called elections because people and individuals will be competing for certain positions," said the war veterans' leader.
He said he would be travelling to Lupane next week to assess first hand what exactly is happening in the constituency left vacant following the death of MDC legislator David Mpala.
However, MDC said in a statement that "Green Bombers" from Matebeleland provinces were being bused into Lupane Constituency to register as voters for the forth-coming by-election.
"Zanu PF has refined its rigging tactics for the Lupane by-election. Youths from areas such as Jambesi, Kamativi and Wankie are reportedly being bused into Lupane where arrangements are made by Zanu PF officials for them to get recommendation letters from the local chiefs and headmen to enable the youths to get registered as voters so that they vote in the Lupane by-election," said MDC spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi.
At Lupane business centre where the youths are reportedly booked at the guest house until April 27, more than 300 youths were registered between Monday and Wednesday last week, said Nyathi.