Whilst the people of Zimbabwe wait to hear the content of the Power Sharing Deal agreed between Robert Mugabe and the two factions of MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara; here is a borne to chew.
Following the 29 March 2008 combined local, parliamentary, senatorial and presidential elections Mr Guchi, the Headmaster of Vudzi Primary School, was allegedly heard whistling, celebrating MDC’s election victory. A few days later the whole country was swept by a wave of political intimidation, beatings and murder following the deployment by Mugabe of War Veterans and party thugs backed by the Police, Army and other State Security Agents. The violence was to punish the MDC leaders, supporters and party sympathisers, people like Mr Guchi.
This was not the first time that Teachers and other professionals in the rural areas were targeted by Zanu PF thugs. This happened in the 2000, 2002 and 2005 elections. Zanu PF has found it near impossible to bribe and/or intimidate the Teachers, unlike the rest of the rural populous. The party lost ground in the urban centres for this reason. Zanu PF considers the rural areas its “strong holds” and therefore could ill afford to lose ground here too and the Teachers and other professionals were considered a serious threat to that.
Mr Guchi had heard that there had been suspicious looking people – unruly gangs of 20 or so young men often high on alcohol or drugs - had visited the School asking for him. He had stayed away.
In mid May, after weeks away from his post, Guchi returned to the School; believing it was safe to do so. He was wrong.
Guchi was picked up from his Headmaster’s House in two twin cab pickups round 7.00 pm. He was heard screaming but no one came to his aid; they all feared for their own lives.
Guchi’s body was found three days later. His post-mortem report said he died of one gun shot to the head. The few relatives and friends who braved the possible reprisals by Zanu PF thugs to collect the body and buried him say his genitals had been cut-off; his eyes were gorged out and there were burnt marks all over his body. He was almost certainly shot after being tortured.
In the five months following the 29 March 2008 Election MDC says up to 180 its leaders and supporters were murdered in the Mugabe orchestrated political madness. People on the ground believe the figure is a lot higher. The Police in Marondera, for example, who were looking for drowned fisherman in a local Dam in late August reportedly, fished out four other bodies before finding that of the fisherman. How many other disappeared-victims have never been found! One would have thought MDC would at least keep an accurate record.
The story of Mr Guchi is true and an eyewitness accord. The real name, the name of the School and other details were changed or withheld to safe guard the lives of many. He did not deserve such torturous death. What kind of people would carry out such a heinous act? What kind of government would condone it? No nation in its right sense would let such barbarism go unpunished!
The only thing on Zanu PF – MDC Talks for Robert Mugabe should have been he and his henchmen would have a fair trial for the cold blooded of Mr Guchi and hundreds others. My fear is the long awaited Talk Agreement would reward Mugabe for his murderous acts.
No comments:
Post a Comment