War vets, ZANU-PF supporters unleash terror in Mashava

Self-styled war veterans and ruling party supporters supporters, are wreaking havoc in the mining town of Mashava in Masvingo province, 300 km south of the capital Harare, in a terror campaign directed at supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the indpendent 'Daily News' reported on Friday. Nesbit Muruva, an MDC activist, said war veterans and ZANU-PF supporters ransacked his house on Thursday and confiscated MDC cards and T-shirts. A ZANU-PF provincial offical, said he was empowered by the ruling party's Masvingo provincial executive to weed out all MDC sympathisers in Masvingo province. "I was given the mandate to deal with sympathisers of the opposition and, as a soldier, I am just carrying out the orders," he reportedly said. The situation in Mashava is tense as war veterans have embarked on a door-to-door campaign, threatening MDC activists. Another victim, Samson Ngoni, said: "I was beaten up and sustained injuries to the face. I reported the case to the police, but nothing was done. I support the MDC. It is not a crime. These war veterans must never think we don't have the capacity to fight them."