Police deprive people of rightsLawyers have been denied access to represent their clients who are said to have been locked up when in fact they had been given a court order allowing them to carry out an anti-torture workshop in Tsholotsho.
ZimRights civil society group members are worried about the safety and whereabouts of their members. It is alleged that a roadblock was put in place specifically to arrest these ZimRights members – when in fact they had sought permission to carry out the Workshop. It is astonishing that people should be arrested when they have been given a green light in the first place by the same police to carry out the planned workshop. Access to lawyers should be the right of every citizen and if the reasons for arresting them were genuine why then should they be denied their rights to legal assistance? Colleagues who had brought food for the arrested members were also denied access and had to take back the food. Similar arrests took place recently in the same region where an MDC MP and a Priest were arrested.
Once permission to demonstrate, gather or to hold a meeting has been granted, the police should desist from interrupting or arresting people unnecessarily. Police should allow the free and active participation of people as citizens in politics and civil life. – Danford Zimuto, London
Prison system needs overhaul
EDITOR – There are times when I get up to pray during the night and the prisoners in Zimbabwe’s jails weigh heavily on my heart. I become aware that I have a warm, comfortable bed to return to, clean water to drink, food to eat, a clean toilet and shower to use and all the things that those of us in normal daily life take, to one degree or another, for granted.
Even if ZESA fails or the municipal water is dripping from the taps we can make a plan. But what do our prisoners do? Are God’s eyes not on the state of our prisons and how our government treats it’s prisoners? I was drawn to Matthew Chapter 25: 44-45 where Jesus will judge the nations and where He separates the sheep from the goats.
I believe that every Zimbabwean has become aware of the disgusting and unacceptable state of out jails, the appalling treatment of our prisoners and the dreadful failure of much of our justice system. Many languish in prison on no charge or on trumped up charges or for misdemeanours or for political reasons and in the most terrible conditions and this must stand as an indictment against prison authorities and the government – Zanu (PF) in particular, as it is the former ruling party that has abused our prison system so badly.
I stand amazed that there are those who languish in prison for stealing a chicken to feed their family when the true criminals wander around freely, live in the lap of luxury and continue to plunder our nation and shed innocent blood.
Let the church, business, NGO’s and the public in general rise up to take practical steps to assist where possible and may God bless those that already do. I believe the whole prison system and penal code should be radically overhauled – and soon. There should be a massive clean up in each prison – maybe the politicians themselves should be given a paintbrush and a mop or two – and prisoners should be taken to different grades of prisons in line with their crime and treated accordingly.
Instead of locking up prisoners for most of each day in squalid cells they should be gainfully occupied in growing vegetables, rearing livestock, carpentry, repairs and maintenance and the like. All political prisoners must be set free and every prison must be scoured for those who have never been brought to trial and have no money or family to assist them or are sick and need attention.
I watched a movie recently of a true story in which three young German students are sentenced to death for printing and giving out leaflets protesting certain things during the Nazi era. Before the young woman is beheaded, in her statement during her trial she says these words to her captors, “Where I stand today you will stand tomorrow.” Prophetic? God is watching. – NM, Harare
Nyikayaramba’s stupid remarks come at the right time
EDITOR – Remarks by Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, while nonsensical, come at the right time as SADC prepares for a special meeting on Zimbabwe. Those regional leaders who had been misled by the Minister of Defence himself, Emerson Mnangagwa, into believing that all systems were working well, and that there was peace and harmony, will now know that they were taken for a ride.
Thank you Nyikayaramba. President Jacob Zuma, SADC, the African Union, the United Nations Security Council, the United States of America and other progressive nations who recently turned the heat on some of Africa’s notorious dictators now know the extent of the Zimbabwean crisis where, as you have confirmed, certain elements in the army do not respect the democratic will of the people of Zimbabwe.
I hope the African Ambassadors based in Harare are taking note, and will inform their respective countries accordingly.
Robert Mugabe may remain as Zanu (PF) President for life if Nyikayaramba and others who think like him so wish. But if the people of Zimbabwe reject him as they did in 2008, this time round he must quit. If he does not, we, the people Zimbabwe will take it as our responsibility to show our displeasure as was done by our counterparts in other parts of Africa.
Those of us based outside Zimbabwe will appeal for the same assistance as is being offered to our brothers and sisters in Libya by the international community. Dictatorship has to go once and for all.
If Robert Mugabe is not part of the insidious plans by the military, he should fire the culprits. If the army is not getting enough money for rations and enough money for uniforms as Nyikayaramba says, the best people to explain that would be Obert Mpofu and Robert Mugabe – who have been abused proceeds from diamonds.
Those are the people Nyakayaramba should deal with. And could he also explain the strategic benefits and importance of having a robust defence system in a country that is not at war. It is no secret that the army in Zimbabwe largely exists to intimidate people into voting for Zanu (PF), and killing those that refuse to be cowed. Shame on you Brigadier-General.
The only positive contribution that Nyikayaramba makes in his interview is that, rather than salute a person who did not fight in the war of liberation, he will resign. But before we even get there, Mugabe MUST fire him if he wants to clean up his own image and that of his party. – Benjamin Chitate, New Zealand
Betrayed by living heroes
EDITOR – It is a pity to realize that most citizens, not only in Zimbabwe but in Africa, as a whole feel betrayed by the living heroes of the liberation struggles. They are so desperate to cling onto power that even democratic elections can not make them relinquish power.
Gone are the 1980s and 1990s when celebrating Africa Day and other related events brought tears of joy to many who had vivid memories of events that led to their freedom.
These heroes had one goal: to unshackle Africa from the chains of colonialism, slavery, discrimination and poverty. Such names include Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, Kenneth Kaunda, Samora Machel, Joshua Nkomo, Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere and of course Robert Mugabe.
For many Africans the 21st Century became characterized not by the promised civilization, infrastructural development or economic growth – but by political turmoil and violence. Struggles for power became the order of the day, as we saw recently in the Arab states of Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. All these conflicts showed the frustrations of people and how prepared they are to free themselves from cruel leaders.
One would also remember the violence in Kenya in 2009 which left thousands dead and Zimbabwes ongoing power struggles between MDC and Zanu (PF) which has resulted in the deaths of hundreds. The political conflicts in the two countries were a replica of each other as they both resulted in the creation of Prime Ministerial posts, a move described by many as failure by Africa to practise democracy. As we speak Robert Mugabe and Mwai Kibaki walk tall as presidents of Zimbabwe and Kenya respectively while Raila Odinga and Morgan Tsvangirai were sweet tongued by prime ministerial posts.
The masses have got the power and to all Africans I want to say, The winds of change are sweeping Africa once again. One day we shall commemorate and celebrate being African without fear and shame. – Viva Africa, Bulawayo