Sanctions necessary – Mutize

Mutize made the statement following the memorial service for murdered MDC activist Shepherd Jani last Sunday.

I was the last person to talk to Jani before he was abducted and assassinated by

Zanu (PF) hired gunmen. The gunmen shot a firearm at Janis friend who hurled a brick at them in a bid to rescue the MDC-T activist. It was at this juncture that I realised the abductors were up to no good. Jani was brutally assaulted before he was driven away.

I drove to the nearby Mrewa Centre Police Station and reported the incident. I

offered the police my car to pursue the abductors, but they turned down my offer and said hey would use their truck. They made no effort to follow the culprits.

A few days later, Janis bullet riddled body was discovered at a farm in Goromonzi. It had five bullet holes and several deep knife cuts, suggesting he was assassinated in one of the most savage and brutal manners.

It boggles the mind to think such a level headed and clearly selfless fighter for

democracy, like Jani, would meet his death in such a brutal manner. Such acts

of evil behaviour by Zanu (PF) justified the imposition of targeted sanctions against

perpetrators of the institutionalized violence.

Forced signing of the so-called anti-sanctions petition by Mugabe and his few

followers is a desperate and doomed political gimmick by the dictatorship. Targeted

sanctions are not a national issue and any call to remove them should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves.

Mutizes speech came as villagers around Mrewa were being frog marched to

various venues to sign the so called anti-sanctions petition.

Together with party activists clad in T-Shirts inscribed Born free but enslaved by

POSA, Mutize sang party songs at Janis grave raising emotions among mourners.

He also said he would revive a charity fund initiated by Janis late wife, Elma, days

before she passed on. The fund would help fund the welfare of orphaned children.