Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)’ candidate, Augustine Gumede, in Ward 4 Insiza Rural District Council (RDC) by-election slated for Saturday has gone into hiding following Monday’s political violence in which opposition party members were brutally attacked and injured by suspected ZANU-PF members.
The assailants who were kicking and using sticks, logs, fists, and stones during the attack are believed to be the same group that attacked other CCC supporters in Matobo on Sunday.
In both districts, there will be by-elections to fill in vacant seats following the death of two ZANU-PF councillors.
Four vehicles that were being used by CCC campaign teams in Insiza were deflated and had their window panes and screens smashed and filled engines with sand, while some valuables including money and cell phones were confiscated by the attackers.
Gumede, who is set to lock horns with ZANU-PF’s Daniel Dube, managed to escape before the attackers could get hold of him.
When they got to his homestead they smashed window panes of houses and broke into pieces his household property.
“Our candidate, when they came to his homestead, he was at his homestead and fortunately he was one of the people who managed to escape and they did not exactly get to him physically,” said CCC Matabeleland South provincial spokesperson, Ntando Ndlela.
“For now, I cannot really confirm that our candidate is safe but he has moved from his homestead. He is somewhere. We have moved him to another place that we are hoping he could be safe before elections.”
