Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party has said 10 of its supporters have been murdered in an orgy of violence it blamed on state security agents and militant activists of President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party. The MDC, which says violence started after it defeated ZANU PF in elections on March 29, has claimed that another 3000 supporters have been displaced from their homes. The opposition party has described the violence as a war being waged by state security agents and ZANU PF militias against Zimbabweans in a bid to cow them to back Mugabe in an anticipated run-off against Tsvangirai. But Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa denied the allegations of violence and challenged the MDC to produce names and details of people it claims were murdered in political violence. Below, ZimOnline lists names of six people that the MDC says are its supporters who were killed in political violence. The six are part of the 10 people the MDC says were murdered. The opposition party says it will release all the names of all victims in a full report on political violence it is compiling.

List of Victims:

Tapiwa Mumbwanda (57) - From Hurungwe West constituency in Mashonaland West province. He was attacked and murdered near his home by suspected ZANU PF activists on April 12. Hurungwe West is one of the areas hardest hit by political violence;

Murunde Tembo (age unknown) - From Mudzi North constituency in Mashonaland East province. He was brutally assaulted by suspected ZANU PF activists on April 15. He sustained serious injuries and broken legs. He died on his way to hospital;

Tatenda Chibika (age unknown) - From Mutoko East constituency in Mashonaland East province. He was shot and killed by ZANU PF supporter and war veteran Richard Makoni on April 17. The incident happened at Chibeta rural business centre in the constituency;

Moses Bashitiwayo (age unknown) - From Maramba-Pfungwe constituency in Mashonaland East province. Suspected ZANU PF supporters murdered him on April 17;

Moses Makiwa (age unknown) - From Lower Watershed area in Wedza constituency in Mashonaland East province. He was brutally assaulted and killed by ZANU PF supporters. He was buried on 19 April in Wedza;

Brighton Mbwera Jr. (5) - From Manyika village in Uzumba constituency in Mashonaland East province. He was burnt to death after ZANU PF activists set a house he was sleeping in on fire on April 18. The ZANU PF activists forced the parents (who are members of the MDC) to bury their child’s body without a postmortem being done. However, police intervened and ordered the body exhumed so that a postmortem could be conducted.

The MDC is the source of all the information above. ZimOnline has not independently verified this information.

(Source)