By Thandiwe Garusa

THREE Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters from Mashonaland East Wednesday claimed they were savagely assaulted by Zanu PF activists using iron bars.

They also claimed one of the attackers said they were sent by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

In a video clip circulating on social media, the victims said the Zanu PF youths hit them with iron bars all over their bodies and warned them to desist from wearing yellow clothes that resemble the CCC theme colour.

“They threatened to kill us and they kept telling us that we must go and tell others that Zanu PF kills and we cannot wear yellow t-shirts in Mashonaland East,” said one of them.

“We were beaten by iron bars, and they wanted to kill us. We are in pain and lucky that we are still alive. The group that was beating us said they were sent by Mnangagwa, and they have taken our money and our t-shirts.”

CCC deputy spokesperson Ostallos Siziba said that these were highlights of a potentially violent 2023 election.

“The CCC is worried by continuous and perennial violence particularly in Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West because this is where Zanu PF uses what we call harvest of fear to intimidate and deter people from joining the Citizen’s movement,” said Siziba.

“This reveals the potential of a violent 2023 election and that is why we urge Zanu PF and state security apparatus to be conscious that this level of violence is a threat to stability of our country, and we urge our supporters to remain peaceful regardless of provocation and we are going to take these matters to court to seek redress.

“We are going to be deploying peacekeepers so that issues of violence in rural communities are dealt with.”