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.
