Missing MDC man found

Nhidza (33) is a former soldier who abandoned his job and joined the MDC when it was formed in 1999. He later became one of the partys security officers, but fled to South Africa after he was persistently abducted and tortured by members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) President Robert Mugabes main torture machine.

During one of the torture sessions, just after the March 29, 2008 elections, at a Zanu (PF) torture base in the politically volatile Odzi area of Manicaland, Nhidza sustained horrific fractures on all his arms and legs, with his right leg broken seven times.

Walking with the aid of crutches, the MDC man fled to South Africa that same year and lived as a political refugee inside Johannesburgs Central Methodist Church. He, however, returned to his home country in September last year to die at home, after the injuries had taken their toll.

He was reported dead a few weeks later, but this week, he resurfaced in Johannesburg with fresh injuries he says were inflicted on him by Zanu (PF) supporters, two of whom were involved in his past ordeals.

When I arrived in Odzi, I lived with my relatives in a hide-out for sometime, receiving medication until I was better, Nhidza told The Zimbabwean early this week. When I was able to walk again, someone could have tipped off the Zanu (PF) mafia, which abducted and tortured me for two days in the Betty area.

Nhidza said that his six assailants included two brothers Cleopas and Shadreck Mutichakwa, who were part of the gang that attacked him in 2008. They said that they would not set me free until I produced guns they accused me of having hidden somewhere, and when I told them that I did not have any, they beat me with sticks and various other weapons.

They tortured me severely and left me for dead. I was later picked up by some good Samaritans who took me to a nearby hospital, where I was attended to until I recovered and fled to South Africa late last month.

On earlier reports that he had died, Nhidza said that these could have come from the people who picked him up and drove him to hospital. I was thoroughly bleeding and most people must have believed that I had died because the condition that I was in was just unbearable. Those reports saved me because I am told that those people were searching at all nearby hospitals and clinics, wanting to finish me up, but stopped when they became convinced that I was dead.

Nhidza said that despite the formation of a unity government between Zanu (PF) and the MDC last year, political violence was still rife in Odzi, which is one of the Zanu (PF) strongholds.

I am even shocked that the ministers of Home Affairs came here and told people to return home because in that area, co-existence between political parties is still not known. Zanu (PF) thugs are still causing havoc against perceived MDC supporters.

Nhidza called on the MDC to use its power within the unity government to protect its supporters. The unity government has so far not benefited the MDC that much and if Giles Mutsekwa (Co-Home Affairs minister from MDC-T) is really determined to see exiles returning, he should make sure that Zanu (PF) thugs are arrested and that police do not continue to be used as a Zanu (PF) tool of suppression.