Politically motivated violence has eased in Zimbabwe, just after the opposition MDC candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai announced his June 27 presidential election boycott, but terrorization from ZANU PF continues.

Since last weekend, a few incidents of violence have been reported whilst abductions and murders have stopped.

In and around the capital city of Harare, residents who spoke to this reporter start to feel at ease though not comfortable as the ruling ZANU PF party intimidation continues.

Miles Chirwa said he hopes the violence will end as currently there is no peace, but fear across the country.

“I did not imagine things would get this worst- whereby opposition supporters are intimidated, beaten and murdered for not supporting or voting for the ruling party.”

“Tsvangirai made a noble move. Hope Mugabe and his party will stop the killings and harassments,” he said.

However, the country’s president Robert Mugabe, his party- ZANU PF and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) insists the election will continue as planned, with or without the MDC’s involvement.

Just a couple of meters from the Team were ZANU PF supporters (men and women) in their regalia drinking scuds (opaque beer), chanting party slogans and hurling insults to merry makers.

One of the ruling party supporters shouted, “Muri kudya mari yaTsvangrai ka. Zvichapera zvese izvi. (You are spending Tsvangirai’s money. This will soon be over.”

Another one then quickly added, “Twuvana twaChematama. I feel like killing one of you,” he said before joining a small queue where one was giving them some money, which most of them used to buy some alcohol.

Since Mugabe lost in the first round of the March 29 Presidential election, he has used militia, war veterans and uniformed forces to cause terror in the country especially in rural areas. The MDC says at least 86 of its members and supporters have been killed.

In urban areas, the situation has been worst in suburbs like Mbare, Hatcliff, Whitecliff and Epworth were residents were forced to attend ZANU PF rallies and meetings in which an attendance register would be in use and those who abscond would be followed up and ‘punished’.

“At the rally- which took place on Wednesday afternoon, one of the party leaders pointed at me and said I was now the youth secretary of my area.”

“I failed to refuse due to fear. He told his other followers to make sure I would attend each and every party gathering.”

The young man said he was told on the election eve- Thursday, there will be a pungwe (all night) gathering and he should be there and also help in coordinating.

“I have no option. I will go. I have seen them beat up some residents. I have also heard they even murder people,” he concluded.

ZANU PF supporters are also going around Harare’s main roads, blocking traffic and assaulting motorists without Mugabe stickers on their vehicles. They also assault kombi and bus drivers who fail to charge the (reduced) fares they would have imposed.

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