Former Education Minister Lazarus Dokora reportedly survived an assassination attempt in Bindura on Monday amid suspicions he may have been targeted by his rivals in the ruling ZANU PF party.
Dokora is eyeing the ZANU PF Mashonaland Central provincial chairperson post and it is believed that alleged hitmen who used claw hammers to smash his car intended to kill him.
Dokora reported the attempt on his life at the Bindura Central police station.
Dokora declined to comment on the matter when contacted by NewZimbabwe.com on Thursday evening but a source close to him confirmed the incident.
The publication reported the source as saying the attempt on the former minister’s life was a sign colleagues in ZANU PF’s Mashonaland Central were determined to “eliminate” him before the provincial elections are held after he emerged as a clear front runner. Said the source:
There was an attempt on Dokora’s life on Monday in Bindura. He parked his vehicle and got out.
The assailants came and smashed his door with an intention of killing him with claw hammers.
However, unbeknown to them, he had left, but this actually shows there are people who want to eliminate him ahead of the internal elections set for next month.
Dokora’s ally, Ryan Dhokwani, told NewZimbabwe.com that he was also attacked in Madziva, Mashonaland Central Province. He said:
A large rock was thrown at my car while I was in Madziva some time back. The people who attacked me knew exactly where I sat in my car as I am always driven.
The rock missed my glass and hit the door. If it had hit the window, it would have been a different story. I reported the matter to the police at Madziva but eventually withdrew the case after realising the assailants were members of the party.
I cannot with full confidence say this was because of the upcoming elections but this is what happened to me and my car was indeed damaged.
Dhokwani initially reported the matter to the police but said he was forced to withdraw the case after realising his assailants were ZANU PF members, and an out-of-court settlement was reached.
Dokora is challenging the current provincial chair, Kazembe Kazembe, who is also the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.
The provincial elections are slated for next month before ZANU PF holds its annual people’s congress also in October in Bindura.