Howzit

This statement was sent to me by email this morning. I include it here on this page as a first hand narration of the violence that Mugabe insists his security forces perpetrate against the opposition.

Two things come through to me when I read this document. Firstly, is the brave stance that this man takes, knowing that by making this statement, he becomes a marked man. Let’s remember that he was one of three people picked up, and one of them died…

Secondly, is the fact that the Air Force officer behind the torture committed suicide, and one of his underlings attempted to kill himself.

Perhaps Mugabe’s minions are not as eager to obey his orders as he would have us believe.

Another thought I have is that Mumbengegwi has been virtually ‘pardonned’ by Vice President Joeseph Msika - so she is free to commit repeat offences. 

“Maxwell Mazambani 32 years.

Reside in Serima communal land, Gutu, Masvingo Province.

Last year I stood as Councillor for the MDC for Ward 5 Gutu North.

On Tuesday 25th September, 2007 at about midday a white Nissan pick-up truck (that I know to belong to Mrs Mbengegwe, Minister Mbengegwe’s wife) arrived at my home. There were 6 men in camouflage uniform. Five were wearing camouflage caps and the other, the Commander, was wearing a blue cap with a badge. They had crates of beer in the truck. When they arrived I was wearing my MDC T-shirt. Last year during the council elections my MDC t-shirt was taken from me and burned in Matizha township. 

I was taken, together with three others to Eastdale Farm, an Air Force base, which is between Gutu and Chivu. I know one of them was Mafukidze and another was Stanley Mashoko. The assailants said to me “you are still wearing an MDC t-shirt”.

At the base I was told to shout MDC slogans like I would at a meeting. They told me I was mobilizing the MDC for the elections and proceeded to beat me viciously with thick sticks on my buttocks, legs and back, kick me with booted feet, then poured water on me and made me spin around and around. This continued for six hours. I was being beaten on my own in a room. I know the others were nearby. I also saw 8 other young men there who were being beaten when we arrived.

At around 6 pm the four of us were put in the truck again. Before leaving the base we were forced to eat sadza and beans. Mafukidze was unconscious.

I was dropped in the bush on a side road near my home. The others were driven off – I don’t know where. I crawled home. The next morning I got someone to go and get a friend with a car and was taken to Gutu Police Station where I reported my case. My friend who took me there said he had heard that Mafukidze had died in the night.

While at the Gutu Police Station, the Police told me that the Air force commander involved in our torture had hanged himself the previous night. They also said that one of the young assailants had tried to shoot himself but did not die.

I was then taken to Chivu Hospital where I was admitted and stayed there with no medication. Relatives drove for miles to a mission to try and find medication for me.

I was transferred to a hospital in Harare on the night of Thursday 11th October, 2007.”

Medical observations.

Maxwell has deep tissue injury on the buttocks and it is reported that his kidneys may be damaged and he has clots on the lungs. The full Doctors report will be forthcoming when X-rays etc have been done.

Much food for thought. When dates for next year’s election are not even known and the violence is already at such a high level, one wonders just how much more of this the Zimbabwean people can take?

Take care.

‘debvhu