Tsvangirai Wants Zanu (PF)'s 'War Vet' Leader Arrested

The MDC-T said it was worried that no action was being taken against Sibanda despite threatening villagers in full view of police officers.

“The MDC is strongly disturbed that Jabulani Sibanda, a self-styled war veteran, can cause so much suffering in Masvingo province during the past three months without any restraint from the police,” the MDC-T said in a statement.

“It is common cause that Sibanda, with a team of 15 of Zimbabwe’s most violent war veterans, is preaching hate, intimidating and dividing the people, inciting violence and disturbing peace by forcing people to attend his meetings in the province.”

The MDC-T added: “Today, Sibanda disrupted classes at Nhema Primary School when he ordered teachers and school children to his rally before proceeding to Fuve Business Centre in Zaka, Masvingo province, where he threatened hundreds of villagers with violence if they stayed away from his meetings in the area.”

“What is further worrying is that this happened in full view of the police. Zanu (PF) is funding Sibanda in the party’s mission to fight ordinary villagers and to interfere with their normal lives.”

Sibanda, who is conducting rallies in Masvingo, stunned villagers when he told them he was sent to warn all sell-outs in the area that Zanu (PF) is ready to kill them if they fail to join his party before campaigns for next elections has begun.

Zimbabwe is likely to hold next elections in 2011.

Sibanda is currently staying at Chief Nhema’s home in Zaka. Together they have forced villagers to attend a number of rallies since the beginning of last week.

The MDC-T said Sibanda’s threats were aimed at cowing the people of Zaka from voting for them in next year’s poll.

“It is not a secret that on 29 March 2008, the people of Zaka rejected Zanu (PF) in favour of the MDC. Zanu PF should come out clean and denounce him if it is not involved with Sibanda’s machinations. Their silence means he is their functionary on a mission to prop up their electoral fortunes,” the MDC-T said.

“Zanu (PF) thinks it can intimidate them and stop the groundswell of opinion in favour of real change. Once Zimbabweans turn their back on a party that has discredited itself through bad governance, dictatorship and unbridled tyranny there will never change their minds.”

Sibanda has been to Mashonaland central, Manicaland and now in Masvingo preaching the same gospel of violence and intimidation.

“The MDC calls on the inclusive government, Police Commissioner General, Augustine Chihuri and his machinery to act on Sibanda as a matter of urgency. The behaviour of Sibanda and other destructive elements drawn from the former ruling party poses a real threat to the health of the Inclusive Government and must stop forthwith,” Tsvangirai’s party said.