The 64-year-old Mashoko, who lost her family members when her house was petrol bombed, said she has thrown her hat into the political ring and hopes to be a councillor in the Harare South constituency.
“I am not looking back. With all I have been through, I am determined to die for this position. After all I am as good as dead,” said Mashoko, a Harare City council employee.
Recounting her ordeal to The Zimbabwean at a memorial service for her deceased relatives organised by Heal Zimbabwe Trust, Mashoko said her home had been a target of the assault because her son, Brian, had declared his intention be a councillor for the ward in the March 2008 general elections.
She said youth militia from Zanu (PF) raided her homestead at night, looking for Brian and when they failed to locate him, they dragged Mushoko’s daughter-in-law, Pasvani, and grandson, Nyasha, into the house before setting it on fire.
“I was assaulted and left for dead. I spent two months walking with the aid of crutches after getting help from the Counselling Service Unit. Pasvani experienced 90 percent burns and Nyasha was too young to survive,” she said.
She lost all her property and identity documents.
“The biggest let down was from my party,” she said. “The perpetrators are around. We see them every day and they laugh at my plight because I have been alone in this battle.”
Despite being neglected by the party, Mashoko said she would stand in the next elections on an MDC-T ticket.
Mashoko joins many women who are battling to attain positions of leadership in politics, an environment traditionally dominated by men.
Post published in: News