By A Correspondent
With tensions rising ahead of the 14 June Gutu East by-election, fears of politically motivated violence are growing as Zanu PF activists have allegedly threatened to burn shops belonging to opposition supporters, in a chilling escalation of pre-election intimidation.
Independent candidate Gift Gonese, who is contesting in the volatile Gutu East constituency, says the threats are part of a broader campaign of terror aimed at silencing dissent and punishing perceived opponents of the ruling party.
“Shop owners told us they were directly threatened with arson if they continued to allow us to use their premises for campaign activities,” Gonese told reporters. “These are not just idle threats. They are warning business owners that their shops and even homes will be burnt if they are seen to support us.”
According to several sources on the ground, suspected Zanu PF youths have been moving through villages, warning known or suspected opposition supporters that their livelihoods are at risk. Shop owners who hosted free WiFi hotspots set up by Gonese as part of his campaign were reportedly ordered to disconnect the service or face violent consequences.
“They’re creating fear on every corner,” said Gonese. “Our campaign materials are being destroyed, our supporters are being harassed, and now their businesses are under threat. Zanu PF hooligans are effectively holding the entire constituency hostage.”
Multiple villagers, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the threats and said that Zanu PF-aligned youth militias are identifying shops and homes owned by suspected opposition sympathisers. The message is clear: support Gonese at your own peril.
“People are scared, very scared,” said one resident. “We have seen them targeting shops that were rumoured to have supported Gonese’s free WiFi. These are not just campaign games anymore—this is intimidation with the real threat of fire and violence.”
Community leaders also allege that traditional chiefs and village heads are being used to reinforce the threats by warning their communities of “consequences” if they vote the wrong way.
In one incident described by Gonese, supporters were openly warned at a gathering: “If you vote for the wrong person, you’ll regret it. Your homes and shops could be next.”
Despite the serious nature of these threats, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has reportedly done little to intervene. Several formal complaints have been filed by Gonese’s campaign team, but no arrests have been made and no investigations launched.
“The police are watching it all happen,” Gonese said. “Their silence speaks volumes. We are not just fighting Zanu PF; we are fighting a whole system that protects violence and punishes democracy.”
Human rights monitors are raising the alarm over what they describe as a “coordinated terror campaign” meant to suppress voter choice and manipulate the outcome of the by-election through fear.
As election day draws closer, the eyes of the nation—and international observers—will be watching whether the Gutu East by-election becomes yet another example of electoral violence and impunity in Zimbabwe’s troubled democracy.
Gonese remains defiant in the face of the threats:
“We will not back down. We will not be silenced. These threats only strengthen our resolve to bring real change to Gutu East.”