Posted on 12/13/2002 3:56:45 AM PST by Clive
RESIDENTS and shop owners in Rusape have expressed fear at the increasing number of Zanu PF supporters, including youths from the Border Gezi Training Centre, whom they accuse of terrorising them with impunity.
They alleged the intimidation started two weeks ago when the government gazetted a new list of goods with controlled prices.
The residents accused the Zanu PF supporters of physically threatening them when they queue for foodstuffs.
SW Radio Africa, a private radio station run by exiled Zimbabweans, which broadcasts from the United Kingdom, last week reported that Zanu PF militants invaded shops in the town.
The radio station reported that the Zanu PF militants forced shop owners, including the major supermarket chains, OK and TM, to reduce the prices of basic commodities.
Sheillar Chinhau, a mother of two in the G Section of Vengere township in the town, said most residents were now so frightened of the Zanu PF youths they no longer protested, even when their children went without food.
“We have witnessed the youths and war veterans severely assaulting people for allegedly promoting the black market,” Chinhau said. “The senior politicians in this town have condoned it. I think the Zanu PF leadership, the government representatives and the policemen in this town should put a stop to this because it’s now unbearable.”
The youths have been accused of making unspecified threats to shop owners for allegedly overpricing goods on the government price control lists.
“What the Border Gezi youths are doing is disturbing,” said a shop manager. “They enter your shop and go about the shelves threatening workers for overpricing goods on the government price list.”
An Asian shop owner along the town’s main street yesterday said the youths and known war veterans, reportedly led by Nathaniel Punish Mhiripiri, the Zanu PF chairman for the district co-ordinating committee, raided several shops in the town and ordered them to stick to the controlled prices or face unspecified action.
“Mhiripiri came with eight to 10 Zanu PF youths and accused me of selling my goods above the controlled prices,” he said. “They ordered us to reduce the prices of soap, cooking oil, maize-meal and other basic goods. Mhiripiri and his people bought most of the goods at reduced prices and re-sold them at higher prices on the black market.”
Speaking by phone a police constable at Rusape Police Station yesterday said: “There were reports of people taking goods from the shops. I only heard about it but l am not sure who these people were.”
Mhiripiri has previously led youths in the town to confront the business community to release maize-meal to Zanu PF supporters and the police.
The shop owner said the town’s business community was disturbed by the constant verbal threats from Zanu PF militants, who have recreated the conditions that prevailed in the town before the March presidential election.
“The government should ensure that their policemen live up to our expectations, otherwise our businesses will be destroyed by these politicians who don’t have a clue about business management.” he said.
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