A youth group linked to Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party has banned lawmakers from the MDC formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai from visiting their constituencies, creating no-go areas civic groups say are affecting developmental projects.
A new report by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said lawmakers Piniel Denga for Mbare and Southerton’s Gift Chimanikire, are the worst affected by Chipangano's activities in Harare.
Denga confirmed the development adding the militia group, allegedly led by ZANU-PF Harare province’s youth chairman Jim Kunaka, was also collecting revenue from Harare City Council’s markets and stalls, depriving the local authority of thousands of dollars.
On Tuesday the city's housing committee chairman, Charles Nyatsuro, told the Newsday that Chipangano was causing chaos in the capital, adding it has become “more powerful than the council and the police”.
The group was said to have invaded parking spaces in the capital Monday, taking over from Easipark, a company currently running the business on behalf of the council.
Denga told VOA's Jonga Kandemiiri that he has raised the Chipangano issue with the parliamentary committee on defense and home affairs in an effort to find ways of containing the gang.
But ZANU-PF's Jim Kunaka rubbishes the allegations by Denga and the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition. He says the MDC is not telling the truth.
