Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai has hinted that fear and intimidation continue to haunt people of Mashonaland East, a year before the 2018 elections, something that is worrying the ex premier.
In a statement released to the media, MDC-T said during the party’s president nationwide meet the people tour, pastors, chiefs, headmen, village heads, war veterans, women and ordinary villagers all spoke to endemic fear and intimidation being orchestrated by Zanu PF.
“President Tsvangirai continued his listening tour in Mutoko and Murehwa in Mashonaland East province, where fear and intimidation continue to be the major factors gripping communities.
“Since the run-off violence of 2008, Zanu PF continues to emasculate communities, particularly chiefs and headmen, coercing them to frog-march people to vote for Zanu PF in the next election,” reads part of the statement.
The party further said community leaders urged opposition parties to tackle fear ahead of 2018 as it could cost them with memories of the 2008 horrific violence still fresh in the people’s minds.
“The community leaders said the national challenge was to unlock the fear planted in the villages and local areas where people were not free to express themselves.
“The opinion leaders told President Tsvangirai that there must be a national clarion call to urge President Mugabe not to contest the next election. At the ripe age of 94, it is impossible for the nonagenarian to come up with any new ideas to rescue the country from the current abyss,” said MDC-T.
