dent happened on June 16, 2006 at around 1730hrs, when the 100%MDC Ward 28 youth chairman, Charles Muchena, Ward 28 youth organising secretary, Enock Chikohora, and an activist, Tonderai Matandiri, were brutally beaten with clenched fists and rubber batons by members of the ZRP as they tried to protect vendors. The vendors were being harrassed by the police, their wares were being impounded and loaded into police trucks. Some had babies on their backs as they fled to evade arrests at Glen Norah spaceman shopping centre.
To my surprise there were no Harare municipal police, who should have been accompanying the ZRP on such operations.
As they were shoved into the truck, the vendors were told they were being charged for breaching Harare municipal by laws c/s 4(a)(i) – an illegal vending charge – and were forcibly fined Z$250,000 each. It was Sgt Tambo, force number 055860R, who fabricated the charge at the police station after Muchena and Chikohora tried to tell Sgt Danha 112505M and Cst Katura 057104T that they were not vendors but victims of circumstances. Their forced admission of guilt form numbers are 3045690A, 3045689A and 3045688A.
I would like to warn the police that the winds of change are coming and don’t buy your vegetables from illegal vendors when you knock off duty, okay?
MR THUNDER, Glen Norah
Where are prison farms?
EDITOR – According to a Herald report in November 2003 the Commissioner of Prisons, Retired Major General Paradzai Zimondi, stated that the Zimbabwe Prison Services had acquired farms where it would build new prisons as part of its efforts to decongest prisons.
One wonders if the likes of a Parliamentary Committee, The Red Cross, NGO’s and the United Nations have toured these well overdue but apparently well-hidden new premises.
Research has not shown any budgeted expenditure for these facilities. Perhaps the Retired Major General should be interviewed to demystify the situation.
In view of the well overdue regime change now in sight, it is expected that new premises will be urgently needed for many of the 100.000 or so gangsters now robbing, raping and ruining the country.
KEVIN BLUNT, Bloemfontein
Not long to go now
EDITOR – Yesterday I travelled out to a communal area to visit some desperate people. People whose children cannot even go to school anymore because they are so malnourished and hungry. These are ex-commercial farm workers who were dispossessed, displaced and dumped in arid areas and marked forever as “enemies of the state” . As a result, when they queue for donor maize meal (delivered by government truck) they are told that they “are not on the list” and therefore not eligible. The fact of the matter is that they do not hold a Zanu (PF) party card.
There are some areas in Zimbabwe considered “sensitive areas” by donors and NGO’s and therefore politically no-(n)go areas. It is beside the point that there are people starving by the thousands. Quite frankly this sickens me. They may have been confronted by the state thugs, the CIO, and as a result are then scared off. For Heaven’s sake, there are hundreds, if not thousands of lives at stake, and they, the NGO’s, allow themselves to be intimidated by a few thugs in dark glasses. However this must not detract from the many other non-sensitive areas where NGO’s are feeding successfully.
My advice is “Face fear and it no longer becomes fear, but a challenge.” Many of us Zimbabweans know that.
Time is running out for this genocidal regime. The top dog might obtain immunity from prosecution, but there are thousands of state sponsored thugs who will face criminal prosecution, and there is a pile of evidence and plenty of witnesses to see justice is done. Not long to go now.
As one travels through what was once a thriving, diversified and productive commercial farming area, there is little to see other than thousands of acres of nothing. Some huts, patches of rape and tomatoes. Citrus orchards, that by now would have been in full export production for over six years, are full of weeds and long grass. Two farms (out of 50) have wheat planted (guess the “chefs”?).
The “success” of Land Deform – while the people of Zimbabwe starve? Perhaps no-one was listening four years ago when I said “this is a planned genocide”. The results are now here for public viewing, if anyone is interested?
AMBUYA WATSAMWA, Harare
Moved by their plight
EDITOR – Although I am not from Africa I feel moved about my Black Brothers who are asylum seekers and want to settle in England. I am a Jamaican who came to this country in 1961. I do volunteer work with a group which helps asylum seekers, so I experience and understand what they are going through.
I am a very caring genuine person, so if there is any people living in the Manchester Area who are isolated, lonely and desperate I would be willing to get in touch with any African brothers. I would take them out for a bit to eat a drink or a coffee and a chat all at my cost. Any brothers can write to me at L. Samuels, 25 Thorncombe Rd, Alexandra Park, Manachester M16 7YA.
L SAMUELS, Manchester