Zimbabweans are between a rock and a hard place

Weekend reflections with Sabhuku Nhopi

Zimbabweans are between a rock and a hard place

26 August 2022

Introduction

Zimbabweans have for an elongated period been suffering as a result of their political leaders who hide behind fighting the liberation struggle as a reason for being in power for too long. From late former President Robert Mugabe who ruled the country for 37 uninterrupted years to incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa who has promised that 2030 he will still be around. These two men’s rule of the country has largely been characterized by misgovernance, looting and plunder of resources for personal gain. Both oversaw record breaking inflation figures both in 2008 and in 2022 where Zimbabwe was ranked number one with the highest inflation in the world. This WRSN will reflect on the many challenges Zimbabweans face both home and away.

Due to widespread corruption, leadership failure and many socio-economic challenges, Zimbabweans fled the country in their droves such that estimates put the number at around 2 million who fled the country by 2003. With that estimate another 8 million may have fled the country to date bringing the generous estimate to approximately 10 million people who fled the country to many different parts of the world. Of this number, it is very difficult to estimate the number of people who are currently living in those foreign countries legally which puts further strain on the resources of those countries as the unbudgeted expenditure will have to be stretched to accommodate the high influx of migrants from Zimbabwe.

Elvis Nyathi – Dudula

As a result of the influx of Zimbabweans seeking a better life in foreign countries, South Africa which is the go-to neighbour bore the ugly brunt of migration legally and illegally such that the South Africans began to feel threatened by the presence of migrants in general including Zimbabweans who have a larger population due to their country’s proximity to South Africa. That gave rise to operations such as Operation Dudula which mean “Force out” immigrants from South Africa. The Operation led to the burning and killing of suspected immigrants and Elvis Nyathi a Zimbabwean migrant fell victim by being poured a flammable liquid and set alight. His cries of pain represented not only the mortal pain he experienced as his life was approaching a sad and excrutiating end, but they also represented the hopeless cries of many Zimbabweans who have suffered home and away. His body lay motionless, charred and burnt beyond recognition. A reminder of the freedom that we were promised in 1980 which is fast becoming a pipe dream to many hopeful youths who grew up with bright prospects of a prosperous Zimbabwe full of potential and opportunities to make every hard working Zimbabwean decently successful. His body lies in the lonely belly of earth as you read this WRSN due to the corruption and plundering of Zimbabwean resources by the leaders in Zimbabwe who only think about themselves and their children. Had they invested the country's resources to economic emancipation of citizens probably Elvis could not have seen the need to migrate down South and could still be alive today.

MEC Dr. Phophi Ramathuba

The past week also saw a viral video of Dr. Phophi Ramathuba who spoke to a Zimbabwean patient that she was tired of operating on Zimbabwean migrants who come to South Africa illegally overburdening the tight budget allocated towards affordable health care in her Province. She divided opinions with some like the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) castigating her comments as Afrophobic and in direct breach of the code of ethics. On the other hand, prominent Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono chose to channel his criticism towards Harare accusing it of having committed a breach of ethics by failing to defend the health interests of Zimbabweans in the first place. Dr. Ramaphuba’s sentiments were first of all directed to the wrong person as the innocent Zimbabwean migrant had come to access health care and had no choice as no one chooses how and when to fall sick. The unnamed Zimbabwean patient would not have made the journey down south had the Zimbabwean government not looted funds meant for health care in Zimbabwe. South Africans are not trekking north to Zimbabwe because their health care system is still relatively functional. The ANC, from the days of Thabo Mbeki’s presidency has been sympathetic to Zanu Pf in the name of liberation comradeship. It is this comradeship which has destroyed Zimbabwe which has created the migrant crisis which is now spilling into South Africa’s health care.

Mboneni Ncube

It is not that back home Zimbabweans are not doing anything to fight the regime, they are trying but under very difficult circumstances. For instance, a staunch Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) supporter Mboneni Ncube was killed in a painful death by known Zanu pf thugs who operate under a stab/shoot to kill instruction from the Shake shake building (Zanu pf HQ). His life was cut short, dreams forever lost, children forever without a father and wife forever without a husband because of Zanu Pf’s torture tactics.

Moreblessing Ali

Zimbabweans have had enough and have suffered for too long. Another CCC supporter Moreblessing Ali was murdered in cold blood by a known Zanu Pf thug Pius Jamba. Her body parts were mutilated and thrown into a well behind a Zanu pf community leader’s homestead. Although Pius was later arrested, it is alleged that the prisons are treating him better in custody than how the lawyer of Moreblessing’s family Job Sikhala, Godfrey Sithole are being treated at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.

Job Sikhala, Godfrey Sithole and the Nyatsime 13

Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole who are both parliamentarians representing CCC have been in custody for close to 3 months in a maximum security prison. These have been incarcerated together with Moreblessing Ali’s relatives otherwise known as the Nyatsime 13. Only in Zimbabwe can you be arrested and told your charge upon arrest only for that charge to later be changed to suit the powers that be. These political prisoners’ pain adds to the pain that Zimbabweans are facing on a daily basis while they seek to face the regime head on. To make matters worse, Hon Job Sikhala has been arrested for more than 60 times since the formation of the then MDC in 2000. All those arrests were later dismissed which points towards a different reason for arrest. What happened to innocent until proven guilty? His children miss dad, and his job as a lawmaker has been greatly hindered. Such are the challenges Zimbabweans face in their lives.

The Long Distance Walker

A month ago, there was a video which went viral where a Zimbabwean man was caught on camera having walked a long distance from the Plumtree border post because he didn’t have any money for transport. He had travelled a distance of close to 100km on foot to go to Botswana to look for employment to work in farms. The farm owner would wait for close to month end where he won’t be willing to pay the immigrant workers. He just goes to immigration and invite them to his farm to round up all the Zimbabweans and be sent them packing. This is the unfortunate predicament that this unnamed man found himself. His parents were waiting in anticipation that one day their child will come back with some money they would have earned while in neighbouring Botswana. He was deported back to Zimbabwe without being paid the money he had worked for and when he arrived at the border, the Zimbabwean side indicated that they couldn’t assist him so he started walking to the extent of almost breaking his legs walking. Such is what Zimbabweans are facing in their quest for survival in Zimbabwe and beyond.

UK Deportations

Last year, some Zimbabweans with criminal records were deported back to Zimbabwe from the UK and more deportations are on the way. Those who will have been deported to Zimbabwe will only be given a few pounds to start a life back in Zimbabwe as well as a small sack of their belongings which do not match the many years that they spent in the United Kingdom. Had the Zimbabwean Economy been functioning well, some of the migrants in UK and around the world would not have made the treacherous journey to foreign lands where they are subjected to discriminations, name calling and unfair treatment on account of their nationality.

Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova abduction and persecution

As if all these challenges are not enough, the popular trio which include Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova were at some point abducted by suspected state security agents. They narrate that they were blindfolded and were driven to a location they do not know up to this day. While there, they were tortured and told to eat human faeces. Their genitals were also defiled as their abductors placed unknown objects at their body openings. As fictitious as it sounds, this traumatic situation will remain in their minds and hearts for many years to come. To make matters worse, the Zanu pf leaders were on record saying they stage managed the abduction to gain political mileage. In Susan Mutami’s exposé, she alleges that one of her ex-lovers told her that these 3 women are “not good to associate with.” Such is the mentality of the Zanu pf regime that when they want to devour their children they first of all accuse them of smelling like palatable meat.

Farai Marimbire

Another Farai Marimbire whose leg was amputated became tired of life in Zimbabwe but had no money to get a passport. He jumped the borders until he was stuck at a Namibian border town of Gobabis. His loitering raised suspicion from border guards who then arrested him. He was transferred to a Windhoek prison where he has been languishing in prison without any means or anything. His relatives didn’t know until recently of his whereabouts and at some point even held a memorial service presuming that he was dead. Like many other Zimbabweans, he too is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Madzibaba Veshanduko Torture

Another staunch and energetic CCC supporter Godfrey Karembera affectionately known as Madzibaba Veshanduko has grown to become the face of CCC at rallies sometimes cheering the citizens and ensuring that he raises their morale was almost abducted and tortured in Police custody. At first his alleged crime was that he ‘defaced the statue of Mbuya Nehanda” and he was taken in for questioning. He was beaten up and left almost for dead. Onlookers who saw him being abducted began to take photos and videos and circulating them on social media which brought some shame to his abductors. To date, the state is at pains to justify the reason why Madzibaba Veshanduko was tortured while in police custody yet the police must help protect the Zimbabwean citizens.

Justice Mayor Wadyajena/Dexter Nduna

From that late evening of November 17 2017 when now late S.B. Moyo announced the coup de tat live on television, Zimbabwean were told to endorse the new dispensation under President Mnangagwa who vowed to deal with criminals who were surrounding then President Mugabe. From that day to this day, no criminal was arrested for more than 1 month let alone 1 week. The tactic is called ‘Catch and Release’ to pretend as if there is some justice yet there is selective application of justice depending on which party you support. Justice Mayor Wadyajena was caught in the middle of a corruption scandal where he siphoned USD5 million towards his personal use. He even bought state of the art cars which he used to roam the streets of his leafy neighbourhood in Harare North. This he did while the constituency he hails from (Gokwe) is regarded one of the least developed constituencies in Zimbabwe. Dexter Nduna became a member of Parliament representing Chegutu West Constituency on a technicality where his poll tally was below the rightful winner Gift Konjana who had polled 116 votes more votes than Nduna. The court ruled in favour of the Zanu pf candidate as Konjana’s appeal was made based on a technicality.

Henrietta Rushwaya, Obadiah Moyo and Prisca Mupfumira

Zimbabweans have seen more than enough such that being Zimbabwean must count for more points on the CV. Imagine living in a country where someone by the name of Henrietta Rushwaya is caught trying to smuggle 6kg of gold at an airport and her excuse is she took the wrong bag from home. It is like being caught trying to steal and your excuse is that you thought the item didn’t have an owner but never mind at least you didn’t steal. Does she know how many lives could have been changed by the 6kg of gold. Anyway she is out and was later acquitted because she belongs to the ruling party. Another who was also released and is waltzing free at his lawn in a gated community is former Minister of Health Obadiah Moyo. His corruption scandal was too obvious that by now he should have started his long sentence behind bars but what happens, he belongs to Zanu pf and the same goes for Prisca Mupfumira who also served in Mnangagwa’s cabinet and was arrested and is out today free because of the Zanu pf blood that flows in his veins.

Itai Dzamara 7 years on

The greatest travesty of justice saw the disappearance of Itai Dzamara a Mugabe critic who disappeared 7 years ago at a barber shop in down town Harare. His family’s hopes of ever seeing him alive are beginning to fade as each passing day, the possibility of him resurfacing are exponentially levelling near zero. His only crime was to stage a one man demonstration that Mugabe must go. 2 years later, Mugabe went and he is still missing. His brother Patson Dzamara also staged a one-man demonstration where he wanted to know what happened to his brother. He too was abducted and poured upon an unknown liquid substance. He suffered colon cancer and later succumbed to it. Dzamara mystery will go down in the history of Zimbabwe as the greatest injustice to humanity for the sake of power. These disappearances are meant to instil fear among the citizens so that they do not stand up and challenge the establishment.

August 1 murders

On the 1^st of August 2018, six innocent souls sought transport into the Harare CBD. Little did they know that their visit to town was their last alive. They include 20-year-old Challenge Tauro, 21-year-old Jealous Chikandira, 26-year-old Brian Zhuwawo, 41-year-old Ishmael Kumire, 45-year-old Gavin-Dean Charles and 53-year-old Sylvia Maphosa whose photos of her lifeless body went viral on internet as a symbol of the regime’s brutality. With sustained pressure from the international community, President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed a commission of inquiry into the murders led by former South African president Kgalema Motlanthe which concluded that the security officers were responsible for the murders. The security sector’s commander in chief is President Emmerson Mnangagwa. What you will conclude with that information is beyond my capacity. To this day none of the perpetrators have been brought to book and nothing happened to the officers who actually pulled the trigger.

Ancestral Land taken by Chinese

Monaf Investments, a Chinese company has given Zimbabweans in Binga no rest by giving them a 3 months’ notice to vacate their ancestral land for the company to start mining coal in the area. The management of the company purports that they were given the land to mine the coal by President Mnangagwa. This sets a wrong precedence on who are the real owners of the land of Zimbabwe the natives or any nationality so long they are close to President Mnangagwa. In foreign lands, Zimbabweans are being chased out of other people’s ancestral land yet back home they are being chased out of their land in their country. They are between a rock and a hard place and no one knows when this nightmare will end.

Conclusion

This narration was written with a heavy heart because of the many challenges that Zimbabweans face both home and away. Next time when you meet a Zimbabwean, just be nice to them they already went through a lot and they are standing between a rock and a hard place.  

Sabhuku Nhopi is a political commentator you can find him on sabhukunhopi@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @Sabhuku Nhopi or like or Subscribe to his music on his YouTube channel @Sabhuku Nhopi.