HARARE – Five opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters from Chirumanzu have been arrested for allegedly manhandling a member of mysterious Zanu PF appendage group Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ) at a voters roll inspection centre in the Midlands district.
The five are Patrick Cheza, 50, Tinashe Moyo, 47, Ellias Madhuviko, 26, Tanyaradzwa Calisto Marimbe, 23 and Alex Gamuchirai, 37.
They are accused of manhandling Philmon Madzivanyika at a polling station at Govere Primary school.
The alleged incident took place on May 31.
“The accused persons approached the complainant at the inspection point and asked the complainant as to what he was doing at the station,” reads court papers in part.
It is alleged that they grabbed Madzivanyika by the belt, took his Itel cell phone which they smashed on to the ground, breaking its cover which is worth US$3.
CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere confirmed the five are party members.
“ALERT: We’ve received a report that Patrick Cheza & 4 other CCC members were arrested on fabricated charges for peacefully challenging the presence of Forever Association of Zimbabwe (FAZ) touts at polling stations in Chirumhanzu. Why is @ZECzim allowing shadowy groups to interfere with electoral processes?” she tweeted.
The spooky FAZ is believed to have strong connections with the feared Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Zimbabwe’s official spy agency.
The group was also accused by some Zanu PF politicians of indirectly running the ruling party’s primary elections which were marred by allegations of rigging in March.
FAZ is reportedly intimidating voters in Zimbabwe’s rural areas on behalf of Zanu PF and has been accused of demanding names of prospective voters inspecting the roll.
CCC says agents of the controversial group have been sported at Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s (ZEC)’s voters’ roll inspection centres, raising suspicions of poll rigging attempts by the ruling party.
