Torture of injustice:6 July 2016

Torture of injustice: 6 JULY 2016

There should have been someone to vindicate me. Who would feel my pain, my anger, my distress? I was suffering for speaking out and severely assaulted by one Inspector Kufankomwe on the 6th of July 2016, the day i got arrested. Four police officers pushed me and i fell on to the grimy prison floor which was engulfed by the stench of stale urine. Every muscle in my face ached from the numerous slaps i had received from Kufankomwe the PDIO Southerton police station i later learnt. He was driving one of the police vehicles that made U turn having gone past me in Mopane Drive, Mufakose as i was looking for transport to go to town. A Toyota Hilux with no number plates which was the fourth car and trailing the police vehicles entourage stopped, pointed at me and made a phone call which made the other police vehicles to return to where I was. My right ear was painful inside and there was a sharp continuous sound like a siren. My mind kept wandering to assault incident in Mufakose, I had suffered police brutality again for the 5th time in less than a month. I was slapped several times, carried like a sack by male police officers and thrown in the police truck that was parked by the side of the road.

The iron bars of the doors slammed shut. I struggled to adjust my eyes to the dim lighting as my eyes scanned the cells. It was cold and i was the only one in the cell. I spotted two filthy, smelly blankets on one of the concrete beds in the cell, i couldn't even warm myself with them as they were drenched with stale urine.

My eyes were swollen from the impact of being thrown and hitting against the police shields in the back of the truck. WHY? I was a victim of human rights activism. Fighting for justice, freedom and peace had got me behind bars. I found strength to focus, prayed to God asking him to strengthen me and to protect me from agents of this evil regime of a failed state. My only comfort was knowing that God was my strength and would give me justice.

I grew up hearing that "life is unfair" and here I was illegally detained, bruised, suffering emotionally and stressed because i didn't even know the charge. Why is there so much injustice, lawlessness and hatred in this country? I thought to myself. There was no other option but to accept my fate. I strongly believed that God is a God of justice and that in due time He was going to set me free. What made me strong was my my blind faith and knowledge that I was made in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27), God is just, loves justice and hates injustice so naturally i hate injustice too and was being persecuted for fighting for justice which is everyone's fundamental constitutional right.

The police informed me that they were still looking for the appropriate charge to level against me the following morning. The law and ordrr detectives were clueless as we were just dumped in their offices. I asked myself if this was God's design. Every police officer at Harare Central wanted to have a glimpse of me as I had been labelled a hooligan by Charity Charamba the ZRP spokeswoman on ZBCTV news. I was only informed of my charge 30 hours later. The charge read: Obstruction of pedestrians and vehicles and i laughed. Everywhere i was taken by the law and order CIDs other officers would exclaim saying"is this Linda Masarira the hooligan?"  I was taken to court 53hours later and denied bail...

Extracts form MY PRISON DIARY 2016

Now here I am waiting impatiently to go to Mbare magistrates court 2 on 31 January 2017 for the judgement of this trumped up charge. I still believe that God is a God of justice. My determination to succeed is strong, failure is not an option.

"INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE" Martin Luther King jnr.

Linda T Masarira
Human Rights Defender

Freedom of expression and no freedom after expression

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, freedom of expression is the right of every individual to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Section 61 of the constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (no. 20) Act 2013 allows for freedom of expression and freedom of the media yet it is continuously violated by the state as there is no freedom after expression in Zimbabwe.

Communicating an idea can land you in jail in Zimbabwe as long as it is political and against the ruling government. Silvanos Mudzvova has been detained and released by police officers several times for freedom of artistic expression. Most activists in Zimbabwe including myself have been arrested and assaulted by the police, time and again for exercising their right of Freedom of expression.

Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. Freedom of speech is a prerequisite for democracy and guarantor of societal development. Zimbabwe cannot reform out of dictatorship if fundamental rights like freedom of expression are being violated. Freedom of expression allows free flow of ideas and opinions at the same time creating a wealth of ideas and drives innovation. 

Citizens who have being expressing themselves on social media have been labelled cyber terrorists. The government of Zimbabwe and senior security officials have issued intimidating statements against activists. Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Constantino Chirenda, Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri and Army Commander Lieutenant General Valerio Sibanda issued warnings last year against citizens abusing social media to share information and organize protests. Freedom of expression is a principle that must never be taken for granted. It must always be defended.

Journalists are not spared from this infringement of Freedom of expression and freedom of the media as enshrined in section 61 of Zimbabwe’s constitution. It is a cumbersome process to register as an accredited journalist in Zimbabwe. There is limited access to information and foreign media is restricted from observing and covering issues in Zimbabwe.

On 3 August 2016, members of the riot police assaulted freelance journalists Lawrence Chimunhu, Christopher Mahove and Tendai Musiya as they covered demonstrations against the Zimbabwe government's plans to introduce bond notes in the wake of a deteriorating socio-economic environment.

We will continue expressing ourselves freely as it is our constitutional right. No amount of torture, victimization and intimidation will silence us. A new Zimbabwe is possible in our lifetime.

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
Zimbabwe Women In Politics Alliance

Justice for the oppressed

Justice for the oppressed

The absence of justice in a society always leads to trouble and chaos. Zimbabwe is filled with massive injustice, whilst some people are busy working hard to fight injustice, the majority of the people don’t care or if they do care, they simply don’t know what to do about it or they are just ignorant and filled with fear of the unknown. The truth is simply without justice things don’t work properly. Robert Mugabe and his zanu pf government has selfishly allowed widespread malnutrition, starvation and disease especially in the rural areas and peri-urban areas whilst they continue to live lavish,  exorbitant lifestyles at the expense of the heavily taxed taxpayer.

It is our duty to care for orphans, widows, the poor and the oppressed. The current government has failed to provide for orphans, senior citizens, widows and the disabled. They don’t care about the welfare of the underprivileged, all they care about is getting votes violently after every five years and further oppressing the already destitute and poor Zimbabwean. If South Africa, Zambia and Botswana can take care of the disabled, disadvantaged, widows, etc why not Zimbabwe? We have a crisis of having a President who thinks Zimbabwe is his personal property with his family. I for one will not sit back and watch this nation sink. Zimbabwes economy is at comatose stage and what is next? The opposition is weak and divided, activists are fighting each other and the masses are clueless and helpless.

When people are oppressed, they have a burden that is unreasonable, it overwhelms and depresses them.  “LEARN TO DO RIGHT, SEEK JUSTICE, RELIEVE THE OPPRESSED, AND CORRECT THE OPPRESSOR, DEFEND THE FATHERLESS AND PLEAD FOR THE WIDOW.” (ISAIAH 1:17).I read this verse everyday because it reminds me of God’s expectations in my life. I will not sit back and watch my beloved country go down the drain. If we worship the same God, who is your very own maker why are you not fighting for justice? 

We need to look beyond our own selfish egos and unite to remove the evil Zanu regime from power. Tolerance and respect for each other is critical if we are going to form a formidable coalition of opposition parties for the 2018 presidential election. Zimbabwe needs leadership that is accountable, responsive, honest and transparent. Name calling, hate speech, big brother mentality and numerous opposition political parties will not eradicate kleptocracy and the evil culture of corruption bedeviling this nation.

Since the colonial era, Zimbabweans have carelessly struggled to achieve national unity and to create a national common identity, we have no values as a nation that is why we can’t unite for the good of Zimbabwe. What is our national identity? We are so quick to say Zimbabweans are peace loving or there is peace in Zimbabwe. What peace when there is no justice? The two cannot be separated. I pray for the day when sanity will prevail in Zimbabwe, when political party leaders will selflessly commit themselves to unite for a better Zimbabwe, when they will remove their inflated ego jackets and consider the plight of millions of Zimbabwe who have lost hope for the future and when they will unite to rebuild Zimbabwe not to amass power to boost their egos but for a better Zimbabwe. A new Zimbabwe is possible in our lifetime.

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
Zimbabwe Women In Politics Alliance

Ignorance can make you work hard without progress

IGNORANCE CAN MAKE YOU WORK HARD WITHOUT PROGRESS

An army barracks had four soldiers guarding a concrete slab in front of the barracks at all times.

Different commanders came and went but the tradition remained; the soldiers changed shifts guarding the slabs.
After 80 years, a new commander was assigned to the barracks. Amongst the things he did was to ask why things were done the way they were. When he asked why soldiers were guarding the slab, he was told, We've always done it this way. It's our tradition. Our former commanders instructed us to do that.

The commander was bent on finding out the reason for this practice. He went to the Archives to look for answers and came across a document that had the explanation.

The document was very old. It had instructions written by one of the retired commanders who had even passed away. The new commander learnt that over 80 years ago, the barracks wanted to build a platform where events could be performed. When the concrete slab was laid, wild animals walked over it at night before the slab would dry.

The soldiers would fix it the next morning but when evening came the same thing would happen. So the commander ordered that four soldiers should guard the concrete slab for three weeks to allow it to dry.

The following week the commander was transferred to handle another assignment elsewhere, and a new commander was brought in. The new commander found the routine and continued to enforce it without asking any question.
And since then, every other commander that came did the same.

Thus, eighty years later; soldiers continued guarding the concrete slab. An assignment that was ordinarily designed to last just three weeks. . . 80yrs of ignorance with hard labour has passed.
Are you carrying on  obsolete beliefs, attitudes and traditions that were relevant to certain people or a certain time?
What is your opinion about yourself, people of a different race, politics, certain business opportunities, new products etc.?

You might just be guarding a concrete slab. Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.
Think about it... Good morning

2017 let's change our attitudes and mindsets.

Judicial capture the demise of activism in Zimbabwe

Judicial capture the demise of activism in Zimbabwe

Kwekwe magistrate Nduna today 06/01/2017, sentenced MDC_T Kwekwe Deputy Mayor Aaron Panganai Sithole (69), Weston Mahiya (46) and Tendai Virimayi (33) to two years in jail each after being found guilty of allegedly throwing stones at the end of a demonstration on 16/07/2016.

This judgement is politically motivated given that the convicted were simply exercising their right to protest as provided by for in the national constitution. The judgement must be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. Zanu pf's intransigence over their efforts to outlaw peaceful and lawful protests must be condemned at all cost. Zimbabweans must stand up and rise against this mafia type of judicial miscarriage. Struggle is our birthright and no one has the temerity to subjugate the people through wanton arrests and persecution of peaceful protestors. Just recently the zanu pf kleptocracy acy invoked an illegal statutory instrument to ban demonstrations in Harare CBD which is ultra vires the supreme law of the land. Progress activists like Last Maengahama,Yvonne Musarurwa and Tungamirai Madzokere are currently incarcarated on trumped up charges of murder by the same regime and this will not be tolerated by any right thinking Zimbabweans. Now is the time to stand up in full force against Robert Mugabe's misgovernance and gross maladministration.

Mugabe and his terrorist zanupf must go

The struggle for change continues in 2017. The people of Zimbabwe should not give up or give in to Zanu PF tyranny. Our collective hope for change should not succumb to the ravages of  Zanu PF's anti-democracy tendencies. The popular will is going to triumph against systematic political injustice. We should learn from the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their persistence has finally forced the dictator to respect their will. Of course, it's to early to celebrate in DRC but the very fact that murderous Kabila has agreed to step down means something. Imagine cantankerous Mugabe agreeing to step down!! Imagine Zanu PF conceding electoral defeat!!

If we continue to stand up against Zanu PF our political will inevitably will triumph. There is nothing impossible about change. There is nothing indelible about the status quo. We just have to free ourselves from a disturbing political laziness. There is no doubt that Zimbabwean people are willing to suffer political injustices. They are willing to be bullied by Mugabe and his greedy sycophants.

We have got be tough if we are to dismantle Zanu PF hegemony. We have got to keep on throwing punches. The time has come to confine Zanu PF to the dustbin of history.

Mugabe Must Go!!

Shocking Kwekwe demo case outcome

SHOCKING Kwekwe Demo Case Outcome.

In an unprecedented shocking court decision at KK magistrate courts at 2pm this afternoon (6/1/17), 3 MDCT members arrested for public violence emanating from a peaceful demonstration staged by over 300 people in the KK city on 16 July 2016, and in which it was reported that there were some stone throwing at the end of the demo, after police fired teargas and water canon to disperse the peaceful marchers. Kwekwe magistrate Nduna, sentenced MDCT Kwekwe Deputy Mayor Aaron Panganai Sithole (69) ward 3 Clr Weston Masiya (46) and one Yth Tendai Virimayi (33) to 2 years jail each. (5 other accused persons in the case, who included former MDCT Kwekwe Central legislator, Blessing Chebundo, and former KK Mayor Shadreck Tobaiwa,  had been found not guilty when the lawyers applied for discharge in Nov 2026)

This is a clear political judgement/decision as insinuated during the  the case outline.

In the meantime, the lawyers, Chitere, Chidavanyika, and Partners, are launching an appeal, and applying for bail.

Response to Dr. Parirenyatwas solution to curb typhoid

The typhoid and cholera outbreak in Harare was induced by poor water and sanitation facilities in Harare. Most primary school going children have never seen running water coming out of their taps for years. There are no jobs in Zimbabwe and about 6million Zimbabweans are vendors and that is their only source of income. Banning vendors is not the solution to curb typhoid and cholera outbreaks as they are going to continue Vending anyhow.

The government must ensure that water and sanitation crisis is resolved immediately before lives are lost by this looming typhoid outbreak.
Inasmuch as l feel the move to come up with an interministerial committee to deal with the typhoid outbreak is a welcome one, key health and sanitation issues need to be looked at e.g the improvement of water supply being one of the key pre requisites. The absence of clean running water in most suburbs contributes immensely to the upsurge of typhoid. Refuse collection needs to be stepped up as well. The issue of vendors is a tricky one in the sense that in as much as we need to ensure that they take sanitation issues seriously when selling their wares, it is equally important not to also infringe on their livelihoods since most people are in that sector.

Has it been proven that Typhoid is being spread by those things like fruits and veggies being sold on the street or it like the government is trying to hide behind a finger? The water problem in Harare is the main cause of the typhoid outbreak. Most people now use borehole water and we are in the rainy season, seepage of sewage water into the boreholes is the main cause of typhoid. They should close all boreholes and provide people with safe water.
The ban on vending of fruits is only a  temporary measure that doesn't deal with deep  structural challenges caused by city council incompetence and lack of coordination between Ministry of Local government , Ministry of Health and local authorities.
The quality of water the masses drink is terrible, check the toilet facilities in Central Harare( Copacabana) and the collection of garbage and other waste in towns.
This outbreak is indicative of health hazards that the relevant authorities ignore on a daily basis.

Linda T. Masarira
Citizens Movement