Zanu PF War Veterans Invade MDC T, Heir Apparent To The Makore Chieftainship’s Farm

MASVINGO: Phenias Makore, heir apparent to the Makore chieftainship in Gutu district is living in fear after a group of Zanu PF supporters among them war veterans invaded his homestead early this week.

The ruling party supporters are demanding that he vacates a farm he was given during the land reform program, accusing him for being an MDC-T activist.

Makore has been instrumental in providing assistance to displaced MDC-T supporters during the previous elections, providing food and shelter for victims of politically motivated violence within parts of Gutu district at his homestead.

“I am not afraid I have been working for the party (MDC-T) for years now, this is a free country and every individual – a Chief or no Chief – has a right to support any political party of his choice,” Chief Makore said.

Makore said the intruders, who were singing revolutionary songs, while chanting Zanu PF slogans broke the main entrance to his homestead, around midday.

They proceeded to his house, demanding that his family vacates the farm before the onset of the rainy season, and threw stones on the rooftop of his house destroying property before fleeing.

He said his family now lives in fear following the incident and he is regretting accepting an offer to be resettled in Yottum farm along with several former freedom fighters saying he never realised he was surrounded by ‘snakes and lions’ ready to devour him.

In the run up to 2008 elections, Chief Makore was hospitalized after being severely assaulted by the same group of war veterans for distributing MDC-T regalia within the farming community in the area.

The war veterans were later fined for public violence by a Masvingo magistrate in 2011.

Chief Makore said he had engaged the Zanu PF provincial leadership over the matter, who in turn assured him of his safety.

However, the Zanu PF provincial secretary for administration Ezra Chadzamira professed ignorance over the dispute when NewZimbabwe.com reached him for comment. source newzimbabwe