MUTARE - Controversial Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, recently threatened two MDC-T MPs saying that he would deal with them for daring to challenge him over the deployment of soldiers in Manicaland province.

Last month in an unprovoked attack, soldiers assaulted villagers at Daisy Hill in Chipinge East and left four of them seriously injured. The four are still detained at Chipinge general hospital.

Following the attack the MDC-T legislator for the area, Mathias Mlambo, plus Pishai Muchauraya the MDC-T MP for Makoni South, decided to confront Nyikayaramba over the issue. The two legislators and the General met in Harare during a COPAC session, just before Nyikayaramba was booted out of the constitution making process.

‘As concerned MPs we decided to approach Nyikayaramba to ask him why his soldiers were beating up villagers when they were in the area purpotedly for an exercise.

‘He didn’t take it lightly perhaps because he thought we had challenged his authority. But Zimbabwe is not at war with anyone why would soldiers intimidate, harass and beat up innocent civilians for nothing,’ Muchauraya said.

The MP, who doubles up as the party spokesman for Manicaland, said Nyikayaramba went on to threaten them by telling the two that he was going to send his ‘scorpions’ to deal with them.

The General was in the news recently when he caused a stir by declaring that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was a ‘national security threat rather than a political one.’

‘He told us directly that they were in power and if the two of us had any further issues to discuss, we should pay him a visit at his 3 Brigade army garrison in Mutare. Its an invitation we kindly declined,’ Muchauraya said.

But true to his words Nyikayaramba seems to have kept his promise. A battalion of armed soldiers was this week deployed in Muchauraya’s constituency for what the soldiers have described as an ‘exercise.’

‘They are currently camped at St Johns Mupanguri primary school next to the Gwangwaza township. I’ve had countless complaints from members in my constituency that the soldiers are moving around the villages telling them they are carrying out military exercises,’ the MP said.

So far the soldiers have not yet harmed anyone physically, but there are reports they’re moving around asking for food from the villagers. This account was also confirmed by two other people who live in Nyazura.

‘I’m informed they are not being well fed as they’re scrounging around for food. I’ve been told they are moving around homes asking for maize, chicken or cooked foods. If this is meant to be an exercise why then do you send them out when there are no resources to feed them,’ Muchauraya added.

Nyikayaramba, who is in charge of all army units in Manicaland, is also known for leading a campaign of violence and intimidation on MDC-T supporters in the province.
The burly general has openly said that he is a ZANU PF supporter and boldly declared last month Tsvangirai would not rule Zimbabwe.
Traditional chiefs in Manicaland, under Nyikayaramba’s instructions, are not allowed to sanction MDC campaign rallies in their areas.

By SW radio