by Innocent Mujeri
The recently formed MDC-Alliance linked pressure group, Poverty Liberation Movement (PLM) has embarked on a nefarious operation of sabotage by defacing buildings with graffiti, of those perceived to be their enemies.
PLM, a consortium of various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) namely Citizen Manifesto (CM), #Tajamuka Sesijikile, Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), Occupy Zimbabwe Movement (OZM), and Yellow Vest Movement (YVM), which was formed on 25 May 2020 in Harare and appointed Job Sikhala as its patron because of his radical stance against the Government.
The new pressure group was ostensibly formed to push for the so-called pro-poor and just society in the country.
However, this new pressure group has started to cause havoc across the country, committing acts of sabotage in Bulawayo and Masvingo.
A contact within PLM, told this publication that on 1 June, the organization, led by Charlton Hwende, took their nefarious operation to Bulawayo, where they sprayed threatening graffiti at Advocate Jacob Mudenda’s Law firm at corner George Silundika and Third Street Avenue.
Some of the graffiti read, “Sizalinda (We wait), you will regret it, EDIOTS, we are coming for you and next stop is your house, I have your number and we know you”.
Other graffiti sprayed on Mudenda’s building also read, “work for Satan, Welcome free Zimbabwe and #Free Zimbabwe now”.
The contact said Mudenda was the first target of the PLM because there is strong belief within the MDC-Alliance that he used his position as Speaker of Parliament to expel Hwende and three other MDC legislators from the august house.
According to the same contact, these PLM members later, petrol-bombed the top part of a palm tree at Mudenda’s business premises with the intention to send a signal to Mudenda that they are coming for his life.
A caretaker at Mudenda’s offices in Bulawayo, Mr Wellington Nhira, confirmed that of late cases of burglary have been escalating at the premise.
Sometime last week, some assailants believed to be members of PLM, forcefully gained entry in some offices at the premise and sifted through some documents. Surprisingly, nothing was taken except some memory flash disks.
Nhira’s car was also broke in but nothing was taken.
On 3 June, some suspected members of the PLM took their sabotage acts to Masvingo were they defaced walls of Francis Aphiri Primary School in Masvingo urban constituency.
Messages such as, “ZANU PF is COVID-19” and “ZANU PF must give power to the people” were written on the walls of the school.
Again the same group proceeded to Mucheke residential suburb, where they smashed windows of MDC Masvingo City Mayor, Collen Maboke’s house. The group left a note written in red ink which read, “Don’t play games with Chamisa, you will regret it”.
Maboke, who was recently reinstated by MDC Secretary General Douglass Mwonzora, to his Mayoral post, is believed to be anti-Chamisa.
Chamisa had earlier fired Maboke from the position of Mayor for defying that party directives, however, Maboke was reinstated soon after Chamisa lost the legitimacy case against Thokozani Khupe at the High Court.
Political analyst, Takunda Chizanga said the police should investigate and arrest members of PLM who are causing havoc in the country. Chizanga opined that if such acts of sabotage by PLM are not nipped in the bud, the group might morph into a mean Boko Haram which will be difficult to control.
