Eight people arrested in Bikita West violence

Eight people arrested in a crackdown on political violence in the Bikita
West constituency in Masvingo last week were expected to appear in court on
Thursday, Zimbabwe's 'Herald' reported.
Four opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters were
arrested for the alleged murder on Saturday of ZANU-PF member Steven Bernard
Gwanda, also known as Bernard Gara. Four ZANU-PF men were arrested for
allegedly assaulting MDC supporters in separate incidents. Masvingo Province
Senior Assistant Commissioner Emmanuel Chimwanda, said on Thursday that more
arrests were expected.

According to the newspaper, 43 cases of political violence have been
reported since 19 December.
The violence comes ahead of a by-election on 13-14 January to fill the seat
left vacant in November by the death of Amos Mutongi of the MDC. ZANU-PF is
fielding retired colonel Claudius Makova and the MDC's candidate is
businessman Binnie Pakai.

Meanwhile, hundreds of ZANU-PF supporters paid homage to Gara at his funeral
on Wednesday, the 'Herald' reported. The funeral was nearly disrupted when
police were called upon to defuse likely trouble as a convoy of MDC cars,
led by the party's president, Morgan Tsvangirai, passed close to the
mourners on their way to another centre. Police used the funeral to appeal
for an end to the violence.