The youth organisation hosted festivities in Mkoba suburb last week where the life of Mthombeni and her struggle for democracy and good governance were celebrated.
A democracy lecture based on the activities of Mthombeni was also delivered to hundreds of locals who packed the YWCA hall for the event.
The late firebrand female politician started her career as a trade unionist with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions in the 90s. In 1999, she became a founding member of the MDC-T and served in the party’s highest decision-making body outside congress, the National Executive Committee. She later became the party’s shadow Tourism Minister.
She was arrested and tortured at the hands of the Bulawayo Central Law and Order Police and numerous CIO operatives. In one of the instances she was arrested alongside party Vice President Thokozani Khuphe and Zodwa Sibanda, wife to the late first MDC-T VP Gibson Sibanda.
In the build up to the 2002 presidential elections, Mthombeni was held incommunicado by spy agents in Bulawayo and later detained at Khami prison for eight weeks on trumped up charges. During the same period, Mthombeni was heinously flogged by the army together with another party activist, Abednigo Bhebhe, due to their criticism of President Robert Mugabe and Zanu (PF). Bhebhe is now MDC-T Deputy Organising Secretary and MP for Nkayi South.
At the time of her death at a hospital in Bulawayo, Mthombeni had suffered head injuries which failed to heal after undergoing treatment in the United States. “We decided to credit her for the bravery she exhibited during the struggle for democracy when taking part in opposition politics was like entering a minefield,” Sydney Chisi, the YIDEZ Executive Director said. “History will not be written without her.”
Chisi also stated that the objective of the celebrations was to encourage young girls to participate in political processes. “The things that Mtombeni fought for were about democracy and she became a role model in that area. We will take her legacy to communities and encourage young girls to be proactive in the fight for a democratic Zimbabwe,” said Chisi.
Post published in: News