By Tinoonga Mawere Gutu| As Grace Mugabe avoided Masvingo city, opting rather for the villages of Gutu, armed soldiers from 42 infantry battalion at Mupandawana yesterday descended on Mushayavanhu High School villages ordering them to attend Grace’s rally and threatened to shoot those who snub the First Lady.
A group of at least 15 soldiers travelling in a Dong Feng truck moved around Potoriro Zvinowanda and Hwekwete villagers instructing villagers to attend Mrs Mugabe’s rally.
Soldiers have in the past moved around the country’s rural areas beating up people suspected to be against President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF.
Sources at Mushayavanhu High School said the soldiers threatened to shoot villagers who fail to turn up for the First Lady’s rally.
“People are really afraid because they were intimidated by soldiers in uniform. We cannot understand why the soldiers are campaigning for Mrs Mugabe .We saw some soldiers moving around the surrounding villages. Hundreds of people will be ferried from different places as well. It is disappointing to note that soldiers are intimidating people here,” said a teacher at Mushayavanhu High School.
On Wednesday night a group of soldiers also allegedly harassed and intimidated patrons at Mutamba bar, Hwiru suburb in Gutu town. The soldiers reportedly ordered the patrons to attend Grace Mugabe’s rally.
Meanwhile it has emerged Mrs Mugabe chose to go to Gutu district because she feared a hostile reception in the City of Masvingo.