Zim minister raped us – Fort Hare orphans

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Presidential scholarships are redeemed at Fort Hare, Venda and KwaZulu Natal universities. The girls, most of them from rural backgrounds, made the appeal in a letter written to Betty Makoni, a campaigner for girl child rights, who has recently been arrested and accused of working with American film producers to discredit the government.
The girls say they are afraid of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and HIV and AIDS as the minister allegedly forces himself on them without wearing condoms.
“We wish the president could hear this. So many ladies are willing to come out and speak against this minister’s shameful acts,” the girls said in their petition.
“Every year, girls at Fort Hare fall victim to his sexual abuses. The minister has abused many of us and threatened to withdraw us from the scholarship programme,”
Mushowe recently withdrew a male student identified as Muchirahondo from the programme after clashing over a female student.
“He violated one Jacqueline Ndove who is a second year student at Fort Hare. He took her to Mimosa Hotel in East London and threatened her with withdrawal from the programme if she reported the issue. He also had the guts to withdraw the girl’s boyfriend after he complained about the minister’s behaviour.”
“He also raped Kuda, a senior student at Fort Hare, Abigail from Beitbridge and the list goes on. The minister’s claim that he is very close to the President does not give him a right to rape us,” the students allege in their letter.
Usually strident women’s organisations have shied away from the matter, saying the issue was too hot for them to handle.
Mugabe is not likely to take any action against the errant minister as he is said to be aware of the rape allegations but has ignored them. – Own correspondent