Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

ZANU-PF militia (Zimbabwe)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 100
Country: Zimbabwe
Date formed: July 8, 1985
    Accuracy of date formed: year
Details of Formation: The group is first mentioned in 1985, without further details on how they were created.
Date dissolved: Unknown
    Accuracy of date dissolved: day
Details of Termination: There is no evidence of the group being terminated. Their last activity was reported in 2013.
Termination Type(s): not terminated

Former and Successor Group Information

Predecessor group(s): Youth Service Brigade/Green Bombers , War Vets
Successor group(s): none
Private Military Company? no
Former Group? yes
    Former Armed Group? yes
Former Rebel Group? no
    Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: none
PGM Becomes Rebel Group? no information
    Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: none

Government Relation, Support, and Training

Government Relation: informal (type 1)
Created by the Government?: no information
    Main Creating Government Institution: none
Government Link(s): person/minister; political party
    If link to party, name of party: Zanu PF
Training and Equipment: yes
Shared Information and Joint Operations: yes
Shared Personnel: no
Type(s) of Material Support: domestic government; plunder and loot; military
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: ideology; adolescents; former rebels; party activists
Primary Membership: political
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location: nationwide, inc. Harare, Bulawayo, Mashonaland, Murewa West
Force Strength: [unknown, unknown]
Target(s): civilians; unarmed political opposition, government critics; ethnic group; journalists
Purpose(s): protect state, national or religious leader(s); intimidation of ethnic/religious groups; intimidation of civilians; intimidate political opposition

Ethnic Characteristics

Ethnic Target(s): Europeans (Zimbabwe); Ndebele-Kalanga-(Tonga) (Zimbabwe)
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: given
Ethnic Membership: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: not applicable
Ethnic Purpose: Europeans (Zimbabwe); Ndebele-Kalanga-(Tonga) (Zimbabwe)
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: given

Other Information

Other Information:

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: Their main purpose is to intimidate opposition politicians and their supporters, not exclusively but especially at election time. The militia also took part in the invasion of white-owned farms in order to carry out Mugabe’s indigenisation drive.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use deniability of violence

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: During raids by the ZANU-PF militia, many civilians were assaulted and forced to flee their homes. The group operates with impunity. In one incident, the police refused to record a statement from victims.
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: kidnapping/abductions; killing; beating; torture; sexual violence

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no information
PGM Members Paid? no
Reasons for Membership: no information
PGM Members Killed? never

PGM Size

Size: In one attack, witnesses reported more than 100 militia members. However, the overall number of members is likely to be much higher.

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: The group is armed with clubs, knives, machetes, sticks, guns and stones to attack and intimidate opposition supporters. They are said to be trained by the army in short training periods. The government provides them with weapons and transport.

Organisation

Organisation: One source suggests that in 2011, the militia was led by local party leader Mike Gwasha.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD

Evidence