In early July, members of the ZNA were deployed in various townships in Harare where they perpetrated violence against citizens participating in the nationwide work stay-away declared on 2 and 3 July. The ZNA, with the help of war veteran militias and other Zanu (PF) supporters, also targeted persons perceived to support the opposition MDC.
There was also a resurgence of violence on commercial farms throughout July. In Mutare West, commercial farmer Philip Bezuidenhout allegedly ran over and killed a farm occupier. In Marondera, Iain Kay, a commercial farmer attacked and
injured during the pre-election period last year, was held hostage with 120 of his farm workers and three other white farmers on Chipesa Farm.
There were many incidences of violence in the Bindura constituency as a result of the by-election that took place on the weekend of 27-28 July. An incident included an attack by Zanu (PF) supporters on MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s convoy that was traveling through the constituency. In Makoni West and Makoni East, Nathaniel “Punish” Mhiripiri was involved in multiple incidents of violence. This is significant since witness testimony during the Makoni East
election petition challenge identified Mhiripiri as a well-known Zanu (PF) member who supervised attacks and performed torture on MDC supporters during the 2000 Parliamentary elections.
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