WHY YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK UP FOR THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS

Last week in Zimbabwe there was a despicable act perpetrated by the Zimbabwean government towards three young women from the opposition party MDC. They are Joannah Mamombe a member of parliament, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova. These MDC youth leaders had participated in a demonstration and were arrested by the police, when they got to Harare Central Police instead of being taken into the police station, they were bundled into a private vehicle, blind folded and they were driven away to be tortured for two nights.

According to their testimony they were forced to urinate on themselves, forced to urinate in cups, drink each other’s urine and Honorable Mamombe was forced to eat feaces of her colleague. They went on to say they were physically and sexually assaulted. A lot of people in Zimbabwe are afraid to speak-up and condemn this act. To be fair Zanu-PF has never changed and the system has been using violence against its opponents.

After the war of liberation ended, General Josia Tongogara who pushed for Zapu and Zanu-PF to contest the 1980 election as one party died on the way from Mozambique. Many believe he was murdered for his beliefs. If Zapu & Zanu-PF had contested as a unity Joshua Nkomo as the most senior member would have become the prime minister. From early 80s Zanu-PF started targeting Zapu members and I have written about my experience in the 1985 election. Over 20 000 Zimbabweans were murdered by the state in Matebeleland and Midlands provinces.

My father was a policeman at Amaveni Police Station in Kwekwe from 1982 to 1989. There was so much violence towards Zanu-PF opponents that the police was helpless to act. Incidentally our member of parliament for Kwekwe was Mr ED Mnangagwa our current president. The current minister of intelligence Mr Owen “Muda” Ncube is an enforcer for the president from city of Kwekwe. The same violence in 1990 towards Edgar Tekere’s ZUM. In 2000 after Mugabe lost the Constitutional referendum there was so much violence on the farms against white farmers, farm workers etc. I know about the farm violence first hand as I worked in the farming claims department for AIG Zimbabwe Ltd. Towards the June 2000 parliamentary elections I feared visiting my mum in Marondera due to the violence.

The story goes on to 2002 presidential elections, 2005 Murambatsvina, in 2007 Morgan Tsvangirai and other opposition leaders were arrested and beaten-up in police cells. 2008 after Mugabe lost the March 2008 election hundreds were murdered thousands were injured and displaced from their homes. In 2011 General Solomon Mujuru who had been General Tongogara’s deputy during the war died in a fire at his farm. Many believe he was murdered by the system.

Zanu-PF has never changed since it was formed almost 60 years ago, the violence it used towards its comrades during the war, they are still using it today towards its opponents. No one is safe so we have no choice but to condemn these barbaric actions because tomorrow it’s you🙏🏿