By Perpetua Murungweni

MASVINGO – Zimbabwe is experiencing a surge in political and online violence with political parties and their candidates deliberately disseminate disinformation and misinformation in coordinated attempts to manipulate the electorate ahead of August 23, 2023 general elections.

Misinformation is simply incorrect information, while disinformation refers to deliberately sharing information that is known to be false with the intention of deceiving people.

The ruling party Zanu PF has established a fully-fledged cyber fighters and online propaganda wing known as ‘Varakashi’ whilst the main opposition party, the Coalition for Change (CCC) responded by their own ‘Nerorists’ or ‘Mazizi’ which is aimed at giving counter narratives.

However, youths in Zimbabwe, who are the majority consumers of online content are the most vulnerable victims of these social media trolls from the two main political parties.

One youth, Charles Mujani told TellZim News that political parties are peddling false information online and as such some youths are using it to make decisions.

“WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter platforms are dominated by the youths and as such political parties are using these platforms to disseminate propaganda and misleading information ahead of elections. We do not have the skills to plug out disinformation and fake news therefore, we end up making decisions from a misinformed position,” said Mujani.

Linda Masarira, president of Labour Economists and African Democrats (LEAD), during a Tell Zimbabwe organised Election Discussion, said women were heavily affected by disinformation and online violence which then affect their participation in politics. Masarira herself said has been a victim of cyber bullying and online violence as she went through body shaming and serious interrogation of her sexual life among other forms of violence.

“I am a victim of online bullying myself and this is generally the trend where women who want to participate in politics are targeted online. Men in politics resort to violence and abuse of women when they see that they cannot win against them. Women are the majority and I want to encourage fellow women to vote for women or at least candidates they really know that they will improve their living standards,” said Masarira.

She attributed the continuous significant decline in the number of women vying for parliamentary seats to various forms of violence, including online violence. Masarira said the current statistics of women vying for parliamentary seats in August 23, 2023 elections are very telling in terms of the negative impact of political violence and cyber bullying where all forms of violence are used to attack women who want to contest for positions.

“It’s not easy being a female politician in Zimbabwe. I was denied chance to contest for presidency simply because I wanted to make payment in local currency and the Zimbabwe Elections Commission (ZEC) declined the payment. I went to court but my case was thrown away. The environment is not friendly for women therefore, I want to encourage women to vote for fellow women or at least candidates that they know will push for pro women policies,” said Masarira.

United Zimbabwe Alliance (UZA) National Engagement and Mobilising Secretary Rebbecca Ndlovu said various stereotypes have been used to undermine women and youths capability to be active in politics and many-a-time strong women are often presented as having loose morals.

“We are concerned about the increasing political violence against women and youths ahead of elections. We have so far witnessed an increase in fake news and online violence targeted on women and young people. Men have shifted from discussing real issues to attacking the persons therefore, it is now extremely difficult to debate issues online without being attacked,” she said.

Stabile Dewa, the director of Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) once told TellZim News during the March 26, 2022 by-elections, that political violence against women and youths was hindering these marginalised groups from contesting and fully participating in politics.

“Political violence is worrisome; its reoccurrence during elections has continuous negative ripple effects to the participation of women and young persons in electoral processes as the assumptions of an election being violent and intolerant of women are always evident.

“We have noted that the violence has also migrated to online where women and youths are being attacked, and political parties are disseminating disinformation in attempt to win the elections. We condemn this with strongest possible terms and encourage politicians to create conducive environment for women and youths to freely participate,” said Dewa.

According to Dr Last Alfandika, a media lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU), youths have largely been on the receiving end of political antagonism, which has seen a drop in their interest to participate actively in electoral processes despite them being the majority.

He said systems should be developed to make sure that online spaces are safe for youths to freely participate. He said laws such as the Cyber Act should be fully implemented in order to reprimand those who commit cybercrimes and deliberately peddle disinformation.

Dr Alfandika also added that practical action should be taken to punish perpetrators of violence both off and online.

“There should be steps and mechanisms that deter people from repeating the perpetration of violence in the country. Perpetrators of political violence must not be protected as we have witnessed in the previous years were perpetrators were in fact rewarded. Lengthy jail sentences and fines will help deter people from committing political violence,” said Dr Alfandika.

He added that measures need to be taken to combat disinformation and misinformation in Zimbabwe so that the youth are not vulnerable to making decisions from a misinformed position.

“People must be trained to tell the difference between fake news, misinformation, disinformation, and real news. I am happy that organisations such as TellZim are taking a leading role to combat disinformation by training the youths on citizen journalism, election reporting and combating disinformation. I believe this will go a long way in combating disinformation because trained youths will take an active role to provide credible information and by so doing combat disinformation,” said Dr Alfandika.

Yeukai Munetsi

Gweru – Youths in Gweru have said lack of resources in hospitals and incapacitation of staff was a result of misplaced priorities by the government.
Speaking during the National Association of Youth Organizations (NAYO) youth engagement in Gweru last week An Ascot based youth, Courage Machada, said hospitals and clinics continue to let people down due to lack of resources.
“I witnessed how hospitals and clinics are incapacitated due to lack of resources. I am coming from Birchenough Clinic and I was delayed because they only had one thermometer that was said it belonged to the infants at the hospital,”
“I had to wait and this shows how lack of resources at our health facilities continue to disappoint patients. However, the situation is being made worse not because the country does not have the funds but because of misplaced priorities by leaders,” said Machada
He went on to say having a chronic illness in Zimbabwe was a death sentence because of the high USD amounts required and the age discrimination.
“In Zimbabwe life has become unbearable for youths with chronic illnesses. Being diagnosed with such a disease means death because the free medication for chronic illnesses is only given to the senior citizens.
“However, because of incapacitation in local hospitals even the senior citizens are buying on their own and the prices are too high and charged in USD currency,” he said.
Director of Young Voices Disability Zimbabwe Nyasha Mahwende said the dilemma of lack of resources at hospitals was affecting people living with disabilities more.
“People Living with Disabilities in Zimbabwe are sometimes denied access to health by family members because it is cumbersome for them to find disability friendly hospitals. If one is deaf, they find it hard to communicate and maintain privacy at the same time. For the visually impaired there is no braille.
“For those who use wheelchairs there are no ramps, the dwarfs can’t access the beds because they are too high and the toilets are not disability friendly,” said Mahwende.
Community Solutions Zimbabwe (CSZ) programs officer Brisky Funnel Ncube said there was need for independent structures and policies to improve the health sector.
“In order to improve the health system in Zimbabwe, there is need for independent structures and policies to boost our own health sector and not to rely on western aid,”
“There should be adequate legislation and policies for doctors to open private hospitals after a specific period of working in government to curb monetizing the health system.
NAYO Programs Officer, Ian Chawanda encouraged youths to play an active role to improve the health system.
“It is up to us as youths to improve the health system by using the available platforms like social media to participate and bring to light injustices and problems being encountered when accessing health. It is every Zimbabwean’s right to access health hence let’s participate,” said Chawanda.

Beverly Bizeki

As the 2023 harmonized elections draw closer, Zaka North Zanu PF candidate Ophias Murambiwa popularly known as Maga Maga is confident of a clean sweep and has sweet promises for the Zaka community.
Murambiwa is the sitting MP for Zaka West and was moved to Zaka North after the collapse of Zaka West by the delimitation exercise.
50 year old Murambiwa says he is Zaka North’s preferred candidate because of the good works he had done for Zaka West which include construction of a dip tank, bridge, and clinic and registry office.
“In Zaka West ward 17, I facilitated for construction of Bvumbura Dip Tank, Chenyu Bridge in ward 22, a development that help school children who were failing to cross to Muchokwa Primary School during the rainy season,”
“In ward 23 I used Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and devolution funds to construct Mudzara Secondary School and Charuka Clinic in ward 24 and a number of road maintenance programmes in the constituency,” said Murambiwa.
Murambiwa said his goal when he gets another term in office was to address road and mobile network issues in Zaka North as well as putting electricity in schools and clinics and other government institutions,
“When I get into office I want to first address road networks because of the terrain in Zaka, the roads are damaged by rains so I will make sure we re-gravel all roads in Zaka North constituency.
“After that I will focus on electricity issues, most schools in Zaka North like Chirara, Chivingwi Primary and Secondary Schools do not have electricity,”
“Zaka North is mountainous and mobile network is a challenge, as we speak, we are working on the erection of a booster in Jichidza area and the project is almost complete,”
“We also have water challenges in Zaka North so I will try to implement the president’s vision to have a borehole for every village and have solarized boreholes in COMMUNITY gardens,” said Murambiwa.
Murambiwa will contest with Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) candidate Zanga Munyaradzi.

TellZim Reporter

Citizens Coalition for Change president Nelson Chamisa said when he gets in power, he will make Midlands the administrative capital of the country since it is central.
Chamisa was addressing a rally at Muchakata business Centre in Masvingo Central and said he will do away with provincial names that he said were tribalistic.
“We need to make the Midlands our administrative capital because it’s central, the parliament and other government institutions will be moved to Gweru. After that we will make Bulawayo our industrial hub while Chipinge and Mutare concentrate on horticulture.
He said the number of provinces will be reduced from 10 to five and be named from the cardinal points North, South, East, West then Central and said Bulawayo will be made the industrial hub of the country.
Mutare and Chipinge will concentrate on horticulture while Masvingo will be Culture and tradition hub since it houses the Great Zimbabwe where the country’s name was derived from.
“Our provinces will be North, South, East, West and Central, we cannot continue having tribalistic names,” said Chamisa
He went on to say he will have a lean cabinet of 15 ministers or less saying the current government had more ministers and that was wasting resources.
“Our cabinet will be lean, of at most 15 Ministers not our current government where we have useless ministries where you can have a minister of lizards,” said Chamisa
He went on to endorse CCC councilors and MPs who were present saying people should vote for them if they want him to accomplish his promises.

Brighton Chiseva

Citizens Coalition for Change president Nelson Chamisa has said once his party gets into government he will review the Zimbabwe education system and scrap the Continuous Assessment Learning Activities (CALA), school fees for primary and advanced level as well as examination fees.
Chamisa was addressing party supporters at Muchakata Business Centre in Masvingo Central Constituency.
He said his government will make sure that primary education is free and said he will make sure that the new education system is done with the input from teachers since they are the ones involved.
“We will remove Calas which are forcing parents to be in school every day, we need make sure we restore the dignity into our education system and make it the best like before. We cannot impose policies without people’s input like they did with Education 5.0. Ours will have the input of headmasters and teachers for they are experts in that field.
He said education for primary level and ‘A’ level should be free and parents will only pay up to form four saying the mechanisms for that to happen were already there.
“In Zambia they are saying free education at primary level, if you go to South Africa they don’t pay examination fees, it’s the responsibility of the examining authority. You can’t say you want to have an exam and you say grade seven pay exam fees. No grade seven exam, no form four or ‘A’ level exam fees. If people pay fees then that’s it,”
“Under our government, parents will only pay from form one to four just to exercise their responsibility, at A level the government should take over, after that loans for tertiary education are then activated said Chamisa.
He said when he gets into power to fix the economy, Zimbabwe will use a basket of currency but mainly USD but for a shorter period before introducing own currency.
“When we get in power, we need to fix the economy, but to do that we need to address the issue of currency. We will use a basket of currency but mainly USD but that will be for a short period. We will then introduce our currency that is stronger than pound, Deutsche M9 ark, yen and yuan. It’s possible and what makes the currency stronger is the type of leadership,” said Chamisa
On social services he said the registry office would be computerized such that when a child is born it’s automatically recorded and all services needed will then be activated.

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – Renowned Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activist, Cephas Magezani’s house was recently gutted by fire during the night on July 19, 2023, a day after suspected Zanu PF supporters had burnt and torn CCC’s Chiredzi South candidate, Douglas Gumbo’s posters, TellZim News can report.
Police are said to be investigating the matter which happened which many believed to be a politically motivated incident.
Magezani confirmed the incident to TellZim News and said though he was not running for any post, his influence in opposition politics is very significant and said the incident could be a warning to him and other party supporters.
“It’s nothing else, from my perspective other than political violence. A day before, Zanu PF supporters who we suspect had been sent by Zanu PF candidate Joey Sithole, burnt down Douglas Gumbo, our candidate for Chiredzi South,’ posters and a day after, I woke up to the shock of my life seeing my house which I use as a storeroom, gutted by fire. There is no such coincidence,”said Magezani
He went on to say the incident was not the first time as he was once abducted and tortured in 2008 having joined opposition politics during the inception of the Movement for Democratic Change in 1998.
“This is not the first time facing politically motivated incidents. In 2008 I was abducted by suspected Zanu PF goons and many thought I was not going to make it. This is the same skill they are trying to use to scare people,” said Magezani.
Efforts to get a comment from Zanu PF’s Sithole were fruitless as his call went unanswered several times.
A former police officer and businessman, Sithole is set to battle it out with CCC’s Gumbo in Chiredzi South.
In Chiredzi Central, the Forever Associates for Zimbabwe (FAZ) an alleged parallel structure of the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) has been openly spray painting and tearing off campaign posters for CCC’s Ropafadzo Makumire who will square it off with Zanu PF’s Francis Moyo and independent candidate Gibson Hwende.

Beverly Bizeki

In a bid to push for peaceful elections in the upcoming polls, Head Hands, Heart and Health (4-H )Zimbabwe Foundation, a non-governmental organization that promotes peace has embarked on a training programme for peace monitors drawn from various political parties.
The three day training workshop was held at Urban Lifestyles Hotel in Masvingo and it started on July 25, 2023. It was attended by youth leaders from Zanu PF, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC A), Free Zimbabwe and National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
Speaking at the event, 4 H Zimbabwe Director John Muchenje said the workshop was meant to assist youth in maintaining peace during elections since they are a vulnerable group often used by political parties to perpetrate violence.
“We have seen that these young people are more vulnerable to issues to do with violence and they are always available when they are called by party leaders to perpetuate violence that’s why we are targeting them to make sure that we change their behavior, perception and beliefs in terms of political tolerance.
“They should not see each other as enemies but as Zimbabweans outside our affiliated political parties. So our message to the young people in Zimbabwe is let us respect each other, we might differ in terms of our political affiliation, our ideology and our beliefs but Zimbabwe is for us all.
“As we campaign let all young people in Zimbabwe be peace ambassadors, let them preach peace to make sure that we have a peaceful election in Zimbabwe,” said Muchenje.

4 H Programs Manager Didmus Dhewa said the organisation considers the plight of people with disabilities (PWDs) as they are not a homogenous group and will also hold programmes for them.
“As a youth oriented organisation, we take cognisance of the plight of PWDs and in our programming activities we have undertaken issues they have raised such as that they are not a homogenous group there is need to look at them in different categories and also come up with strategies and interventions targeting different groups hence we will have an important and unique training for PWDs,” said Dhewa.
National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) Commissioner Dr Tinashe Rukuni said the peace building initiative by 4 H Zimbabwe was important as it sets the tone for conflict prevention ahead of the elections in August.
“We are proud to be associated with this peace building initiative as it sets the tone for conflict prevention and peaceful coexistence.
“We are here to share messages of peace with the youth and to make sure that we also encourage them and their political parties to ensure the upcoming elections are peaceful,” said Rukuni.