Deliberate delays in the case involving the Glenview31.

The trial of the 31 MDC activists facing fabricated charges of murdering police officer Mutedza in Glen View last year is being delayed in a very worrisome and suspicious manner.

The Court is not only unreasonably denying the 31 activists bail; but further delaying the trial. The case was postponed two weeks ago to Monday the 29^th because the Prosecutor in the case, Mr Nyazamba, said he was sick.

 Instead of proceeding with the trial on Monday the 29^th, the trail Judge Bhunu also fell sick and postponed the trial to Wednesday the 31^st of October.

Whereas we wish all the sick people a speedy recovery; we are concerned about this form of choreographed sickness that plays itself in episodes giving turns to each other.

The Prosecutor and the trial judge are taking turns to get sick yet the activists are languishing in the filthy cells of Chikurubi and being denied bail for no justifiable reason.

The latest postponement interestingly came at a time when the prosecution was cornered in the examination of the state witnesses against Youth Assembly President Solomon Madzore.

In examination, the police officer admitted that the alibi of President Solomon Madzore had been corroborated by the Doctor and therefore authentic, paving way to his release. It is clear at this stage that any further step in the trail should see the release of President Madzore.

The postponements and delays are simple ways of buying time and re-strategizing on new methods of continuing to hold President Madzore in Prison.

We continue to demand the release of the innocent activists.

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

Mai Elizabeth Tsvangirai donates food hampers...

Mother of the nation hands over foodstuffs...

Mai Elizabeth Tsvangirai yesterday donated foodstuff worth thousands of dollars to the families of 31 MDC members who are facing false charges of murdering a police officer.

The goods were donated at the party headquarters, Harvest House.

Presenting the food stuffs which included maize meal, flour, rice, dried fish, cooking oil and other accessories, Mai Tsvangirai urged the families of those in remand prison not to lose heart. “God will have an answer to all what is happening and you should note that you are all not alone,” she said quoting Bible verses of Proverbs 31 vs 10 and Psalm 46.

Mai Tsvangirai said she was happy to learn that when she visited those in prison early this month she got comforted in learning that they were holding prayers every day. “Therefore, I urge you to support them in prayer and God will create a way,” she said.

Some of the accused Glen View 31 have been in remand prison for over 17 months as they have been denied bail on several occasions. Among those in remand prison is the Youth Assembly President, Solomon Madzore.

The MDC Deputy Treasurer General, Hon. Elton Mangoma said the incarceration of the MDC members was nothing but political and a true reflection of the evil nature of Zanu PF party. “That is why the 31 were arrested. What law is there? That people are arrested and denied bail yet we have a case in Shamva were police officers killed people but are walking scot-free. The message that Zanu PF is sending is that it is running scared because of its past actions,” said Hon. Mangoma.

Hon. Nelson Chamisa, the organising secretary said the arrests of the 31 members had not only affected the party but had seriously dislocated family structures. “Arrests have no time or warning especially in this time where we have a dictatorship. As a party, our position is that the accused have not committed any crime. As a party we respect peace and justice that is why President Tsvangirai released doves as a sign of peace during the 13th Anniversary celebrations in Bulawayo. As a result we want to thank Amai for leading us in this humanitarian programme,” said Hon. Chamisa.

The event was attended by senior MDC officials who included the deputy national chairperson, Hon. Morgen Komichi, national spokesperson, Hon. Douglas Mwonzora, Deputy Youth President Costa Machingauta, national executive members, Hon. Paurina Mpariwa, Hon. Lucia Matibenga, Dube Munkombwe, Clifford Hlatywayo, Mpumelelo Ndlovu, Virginia Muradzikwa and the Harare provincial leadership led by Hon. Paul Madzore.

 Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

Zimbabwe’s prisons in dismal condition…

Hebrews 13 vs. 3: “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering”.

The MDC Youth Assembly is disturbed by the squalid, murky and appalling state of Zimbabwe’s prisons. Those who have been in prison for different reasons either on remand or as serving inmates will testify that the prisons are uninhabitable and are in desperate need of compulsory wholesale refurbishment. Holding cells around the country such as the one at Harare Central Police station have been fervently and widely condemned by the public including human rights groups as derelict and not fit for human inhabitance.

The majority of inmates are young people aged between 17 and 35. Many of MDC leaders and activists around the country have been imprisoned at some point including our President Morgan Tsvangirai. Amongst those still incarcerated are the Youth Assembly President Solomon Madzore and 29 others.
The prison menu mainly comprises of brownish sadza and poorly cooked beans, sometimes sadza with cabbages with little or no cooking oil. For breakfast, the inmates are treated to a blackish porridge with neither sugar nor salt. As if that was not bad enough, visitors who visit the sentenced inmates at two week intervals are not even allowed to bring them food from outside.
The inmates are in constant starvation. The rations are not nearly enough, the inmates are too many and as a result a condition called Pellagra has become endemic. This is as a direct result of persistent, consistent and prolonged exposure to a systematic poor diet, continuous hunger and inadequate portions of food. It has come to light that in 2008 prison inmates died in their hundreds from this illness and some of them were buried in the prison cemetery. Pellagra causes the spinal cord to be dysfunctional which in turn affects the body’s movement and cause the senses to react very slowly. This is usually mistaken for someone being mentally ill.
The situation is dire and is escalated by the fact that the responsible authorities are not taking any meaningful measures to address these challenges.  It is tantamount to negligence on the part of the state whose duty it is to take care of its citizens. Chikurubi Maximum Prison, for example, houses about 1800 inmates who are faced with this predicament day in day out and there is no hope that the situation can/will be improved in the near future.
As the MDC Youth Assembly, we are deeply concerned about the basic human rights of health and dignity of every single person in Zimbabwe regardless of where they are domicile at any particular moment.

The MDC led government shall make prisons correctional and rehabilitation facilities and not camps for systematically, directly or indirectly killing inmates.
Since the inception of the GNU, the Prime Minister of this Republic has tried a number of times to visit the prisons and holding cells to assess the situation but has been blocked by the security forces under unclear circumstances. Many had hoped that after Dr Tsvangirai’s assessment he was going to recommend and action a robust program to refurbish all prisons and holding cells  and more importantly make sure that adequate food and good health amenities is available for all inmates.

For and on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe

MDC Youth Assembly Information and Publicity

Our era is NOW: Let’s Do it Now to shape our own destiny!!!

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

By Tapiwa Shumba

The denial of bail for the 29 MDC activists is a misapplication of the law.

In July I sat through the previous bail decision of the 29 MDC activists facing murder charges pursuant to the death of police officer Petros Mutedza in Glen View last year. The trial judge Bhunu vociferously lambasted defence lawyer Mr Kwaramba for insinuating that the accused persons were being denied bail for no other reason except that they are MDC members.

After the bail denial of the 29 activist on the 10th of October, I cannot legally come to a different conclusion other than that the 29 MDC activists are being denied bail because they are MDC activists. The reasoning of the judge does not seem, at least to me, to be adequate from a person who has served about 30 years on the bench. The application of the law in this case is either disdainful, archaic or the judge is simply mischievously misdirecting himself.

Here is the law and why I am surprised that the judge seems to be comfortably and honestly claiming to be simply applying the law yet he is unjustifiably punishing the 29 MDC members. The law is being abused here. Judge Bhunu relies on section 117 (6) (a) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Amendment Act of 2006, to deny the 29 activists their right to bail. This section reads as follows:

(6) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act, where an accused is charged with an offence referred to in— (a) Part I of the Third Schedule, the judge or (subject to proviso (iii) to section 116) the magistrate hearing the matter shall order that the accused be detained in custody until he or she is dealt with in accordance with the law, unless the accused, having been given a reasonable opportunity to do so, adduces evidence which satisfies the judge or magistrate that exceptional circumstances exist which in the interests of justice permit his or her release;

Contrary to the perception being created that the law automatically denies bail under the above provisions if a person is accused of murdering a policeman; the denial is not automatic but subject to the interests of justice. This provision also applies to many other circumstances many of which bail has been granted by the courts with very flexible conditions.

The crimes in Part I of the Third Schedule which by virtue of section 117 (6) (a) qualifies the granting of bail, are many. I copy all the crimes here so that the world can see how the law is being selectively and unfairly applied. These crimes are apparently selected based on violence, gravity and clear existence of aggravating circumstances. The selection clearly shows that the legislature was targeting exceptionally ruthless criminals that should not have a place in our society rather than 29 activists being persecuted by the state which is simply casting aspersions.

Part 1

1 Murder, where (a) it was planned or premeditated; or (b) the victim was (i) a law enforcement officer or public prosecutor performing his or her functions as such, whether on duty or not, or a law enforcement officer or public prosecutor who was killed by virtue of his or her holding such a position; or (ii) a person who has given or was likely to give material evidence with reference to any offence referred to in the First Schedule; or (c) the death of the victim was caused by the accused in committing or attempting to commit or after having committed or having attempted to commit one of the following offences (i) rape; or (ii) aggravated indecent assault; or (iii) robbery with aggravating circumstances; or (d) the offence was committed by a person, group of persons or syndicate acting in the execution or furtherance of a common purpose or conspiracy.

2 Rape or aggravated indecent assault (a) when committed (i) in circumstances where the victim was raped or indecently assaulted more than once, whether by the accused or by any co- perpetrator or accomplice; or (ii) by more than one person, where such persons acted in the execution or furtherance of a common purpose or conspiracy; or (iii) by a person who is charged with having committed two or more offences of rape or aggravated indecent assault; or (iv) by a person who knew that he or she had the acquired immune deficiency syndrome or the human immunodeficiency virus; or (b) where the victim (i) is a girl or boy under the age of 16 years; or (ii) is a physically disabled woman who, due to her physical disability, is rendered particularly vulnerable; (iii) is mentally disordered or intellectually handicapped, as defined in section 2 of the Mental Health Act [Chapter 15:12] (No. 15 of 1996);(c) involving the infliction of grievous bodily harm.

3 Robbery, involving (a) the use by the accused or any co-perpetrators or participants of a firearm; or (b) the infliction of grievous bodily harm by the accused or any co-perpetrators or participants; or (c) the taking of a motor vehicle as defined in section 2 of the Road Traffic Act [Chapter 13:11].

4 Indecent assault of a child under the age of 16 years, involving the infliction of grievous bodily harm.

5 Kidnapping or unlawful detention involving the infliction of grievous bodily harm.

6 Contravening section 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 or 29 of the Criminal Law Code.

7 An offence referred to in Part II (a) where the accused has previously been convicted of an offence referred to in that Part or this P(b) which was allegedly committed whilst he or she was released on bail in respect of an offence referred to in that Part or this Part.

I cannot list all the cases that involved Third Schedule Part I crimes where the accused person was granted bail. However, there is a recent classic example which Judge Bhunu dismissed as “different” to this application.

“Six police officers who recently butchered a Shamva mine worker, Luxmore Chivambo fatally injuring 11 others were granted $50.00 bail. Motion Jakopo (41), Simon Mafunda (32), Michael Makwalo (30), Lee Makope (23), Benedict Tapfuma (22) and Blessing Saidi (26) led by one inspector Aspias Shumba (48), the member in-charge at Shamva Police Station descended upon Ashley Mine Compound and rounded up residents in the wee hours of the night ruthlessly kicking and punching the residents at the same time severely hitting them with baton sticks and clenched fists all over their bodies. The six are facing murder charges. Aspias Shumba commandeered his troops to revenge the alleged theft of his wife Judith’s pace which was believed to contain only one $US1.00 note.”

Judge Bhunu says the case of the 29 activists is different from the Shamva one. I agree, on the facts; However, I disagree that this is not murder covered in Part I of the Third Schedule. There is no way this cannot be classified as Murder where - (d) the offence was committed by a person, group of persons or syndicate acting in the execution or furtherance of a common purpose or conspiracy or; - Murder, where (a) it was planned or premeditated.

The argument that bail is denied for a civilian murdering a police officer and not vice versa is therefore not informed by law because this murder by the Shamva police officers can still fall under some of the crimes listed in Part I of the Third Schedule.

The reasoning of the judge is flawed in many respects. The denial of bail for a person being accused of murdering police officer is not absolute. It is simply a general rule dependent on the accused person satisfying the judge that exceptional circumstances exist which in the interests of justice permit his or her release; on bail. The vehement denial of bail by judge Bhunu claiming that it is a waste of time in these circumstances is a simple misapplication of the law. The responsibility is on him in terms of the same provision to make a decision not in his interests but in the interests of justice.

In making the decision on whether it is in the interests of justice to give or deny the 29 accused persons bail the Judge is not supposed to apply a standard from the jungle but rely on the provisions in section 117 (2) read with 117 (4) which sets out the standards and considerations that the judge should use in determining whether it is in the interest of justice to give or deny bail.

The Court is creating an impression that bail can never be granted in these circumstances because the law says so. In reality the law does not say so; the law requires the Judge to make an assessment in the interest of Justice in terms of the provisions below. The law cannot be so ridiculous to just simply deny a person the right to bail. The law in this case does not define exceptional circumstances as required by this provision; however, it has criteria for determining the interests of justice in bail applications. Exceptional circumstances are not just an end in themselves; they are circumstances that - in the interests of justice permit release on bail. The Judge misdirects himself by asking for exceptional circumstances as if to mean circumstances which are out of this world. Exceptional circumstances should still fall within the ambit of what is in the interests of justice, the criteria of which is set out by law.

The provisions of section 117 which set out the interests of justice determination reads:

117 Entitlement to bail

(1) Subject to this section and section 32, a person who is in custody in respect of an offence shall be entitled to be released on bail at any time after he or she has appeared in court on a charge and before sentence is imposed, unless the court finds that it is in the interests of justice that he or she should be detained in custody.

(2) The refusal to grant bail and the detention of an accused in custody shall be in the interests of justice where one or more of the following grounds are established— (a) where there is a likelihood that the accused, if he or she were released on bail, will— (i) endanger the safety of the public or any particular person or will commit an offence referred to in the First Schedule; or (ii) not stand his or her trial or appear to receive sentence; or (iii) attempt to influence or intimidate witnesses or to conceal or destroy evidence; or (iv) undermine or jeopardise the objectives or proper functioning of the criminal justice system, including the bail system; or (b) where in exceptional circumstances there is the likelihood that the release of the accused will disturb the public order or undermine public peace or security.

…….

(4) In considering any question in subsection (2) the court shall decide the matter by weighing the interests of justice against the right of the accused to his or her personal freedom and in particular the prejudice he or she is likely to suffer if he or she were to be detained in custody, taking into account, where applicable, the following factors, namely— (a) the period for which the accused has already been in custody since his or her arrest; (b) the probable period of detention until the disposal or conclusion of the trial if the accused is not released on bail; (c) the reason for any delay in the disposal or conclusion of the trial and any fault on the part of the accused with regard to such delay; (d) any impediment in the preparation of the accused’s defence or any delay in obtaining legal representation which may be brought about by the detention of the accused; (e) the state of health of the accused; (f) any other factor which in the opinion of the court should be taken into account.

Looking at these provisions which the judge must employ in determining whether it is in the interest of justice to grant bail, one can only see the insincerity of the court. The 29 accused MDC activists were previously granted bail by the Supreme Court and there is not even an allegation that they violated the bail conditions. They came back to court as required by law and they were subsequently locked up again. The allegation by the prosecution that the accused were a flight risk should never be entertained.

In essence there is no basis for the argument that the 29 activists will (i) endanger the safety of the public or any particular person or will commit an offence referred to in the First Schedule; or (ii) not stand his or her trial or appear to receive sentence; or (iii) attempt to influence or intimidate witnesses or to conceal or destroy evidence; or (iv) undermine or jeopardise the objectives or proper functioning of the criminal justice system, including the bail system; neither are there exceptional circumstances that there is the likelihood that the release of the accused will disturb the public order or undermine public peace or security. Any such allegation will be so unfounded because the 29 have practically proved when they were initially released on bail that these circumstances do not exist. What more then can the law require of them?

On the contrary, if we look at the length of the time that has elapsed since the activists were detained which is running to 2 years now; the fact that most of them are getting terminally ill like serious cases of Nyamadzawo Gapare; the fact that the trial is dragging and set to take years to complete due to state delays; and most importantly that there is no case against these activists based on testimonies rendered so far and other factors that we all know – there is great conviction that the interests of justice requires that the 29 activists be released.

Thus; the court, by weighing the interests of justice against the right of the 29 Activists and their personal freedom and in particular the prejudice they are likely to suffer if detained in custody, taking into account; (a) the period for which the accused has already been in custody since his or her arrest; (b) the probable period of detention until the disposal or conclusion of the trial if the accused is not released on bail;(c) the reason for any delay in the disposal or conclusion of the trial and any fault on the part of the accused with regard to such delay; (d) any impediment in the preparation of the accused’s defence or any delay in obtaining legal representation which may be brought about by the detention of the accused; (e) the state of health of the accused; (f) any other factor which in the opinion of the court should be taken into account – should come to no other conclusion except that the interests of justice require that the 29 activists be released on bail.

This is the law and this is how it should simply be applied. However, the way Judge Bhunu is applying this law to deny the 29 activists their right to freedom raises many questions. It is difficult to understand whether the court is truly applying this law. The strictness with which the court is applying the law against the 29 activists provokes a sense of injustice considering that other accused persons who have committed similar offences falling under Part I of the Third Schedule have in the past been easily granted bail.

The law requires that the bail application of the 29 activists be determined using the set legal standards for determining a bail application. Looking at the legal standards set, there is no doubt that the 29 activists over-whelmingly satisfy the requirements for being granted bail. Maybe the court should be reminded that the standard used in the determination of the interests of justice is not personal but legal. I cannot think of anything except that the judge thinks he has too much discretion in this case because the law requires him to be “satisfied”. However, being satisfied in legal terms does not mean to be satisfied as an individual but as a judge administering justice to the nation – as a custodian of justice.

Where even the father and the brother of the deceased police officer Mutedza have come up front to request that the court grant the 29 activists bail, you would think that, in the normal course of justice, this is more than exceptional circumstances. Even if the Mutedza family had been requested to do so, it would not be against the normal principles of justice involving reparations. If the victims and the society pardons an offender but the judge insists that he will punish him, whose justice is he serving then? If the judge cannot accept that it is exceptional for the deceased’s family to request bail on behalf of the accused murderers of their son, what circumstances will ever be exceptional then?

The law should be read and applied with a transformative mind-set from a dictatorship to democracy. For the court to claim that the law automatically denies bail an accused person is simply a way of entrenching a suppressive regime against the fundamental freedoms and rights of the people. The 29 MDC activists have stayed in detention for over a year now without bail; the trial is set to drag on judging by the current pace.

This case is a good cause for the transformation of our judicial system to a system based on the respect of the peoples’ rights and a society founded on democracy, freedom and human dignity.

Tapiwa Shumba is the spokesperson of the MDC Youth Assembly in South Africa

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

Human Rights activist Manjoro’s release one step up…

HIGH Court judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu on Wednesday released on bail one of the 29 Glen View MDC-T activists, Cynthia Manjoro, who had been in custody for almost eight months over the alleged murder of police inspector Petros Mutedza.

Manjoro was ordered to pay $500, which was paid when she was initially granted bail last year. She was also ordered to reside at the given address until finalisation of the matter, but the reporting conditions were scrapped.

“By consent, Cynthia Manjoro is granted bail on the same terms and conditions that previously prevailed,” Justice Bhunu said.

Manjoro’s release followed the evidence of her brother, Stephen, who testified as a State witness on Tuesday and told Justice Bhunu that his sister was arrested by the police as bait to secure the arrest of her boyfriend, Darlington Madzonga.

Stephen told the court that during the alleged skirmishes that led to Mutedza’s death on May 29 last year, Madzonga was seen driving Manjoro’s car, but later disappeared from the neighbourhood after getting wind that police were keen to interview him over Mutedza’s death.

However, as the trial was set to resume in the morning yesterday, Justice Bhunu asked prosecutor Edmore Nyazamba clarifying the State’s position as regards Manjoro’s bail considering her brother’s evidence which was not rebutted.

“The question of bail still remains alive in this matter given that one of the State witnesses gave completely exculpatory evidence and was not impeached. What it means is that the evidence must be accepted as a complete change of circumstances,” Justice Bhunu said.

The activists’ lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa concurred with the court and in her submission accused Nyazamba of reneging on his earlier promise where he had hinted he would consider bail for some of the accused.

“The State, at one point, hinted it would consider bail for some of the accused persons, but later made a sudden U-turn after this court made a ruling denying accused bail,” Mtetwa said.

As the trial progressed, Detective Chief Inspector Clever Ntini took to the witness stand and told the court that he was in charge of the compilation of the docket and investigations into the matter.

He, however, said his investigations showed that MDC-T Youth Assembly president Solomon Madzore’s alibi was supported by one Dr Munyoro, who attended to his sick wife.

 

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

"No going back on the constitution": Youth will positively participate at the 2nd All Stakeholders Conference

The Youth Assembly is geared to participate at the second All Stakeholders conference as the nation is set to witness a historic process where the sons and daughters of Zimbabwe are going to be given feedback on what has transpired thus far since the constitutional outreach.

The historical constitution making process has reached crucial stages with the population set to stamp their signatures on the document through the subsequent referendum, setting the ground hopefully for a peaceful, free and fare plebiscite.

My Voice is in.
My Vote is YES.

The Youth Assembly would like to reiterate that there is no going back on this process and has scaled up and spread its wings wider in the Vote YES campaign dubbed “My Voice is In, My Vote is Yes.” It is the Assembly’s great concern that the constitution making process, as dictated by Article 6 has dragged for over two years while the sons and daughters of Zimbabwe await.

Zanu PF elements disrupting the
 1st All Stakeholders Conference

It is however commendable that against all odds, the process has managed to leap from stage to stage and now the draft constitution is in the hands of the people. The process which started over three years ago with the setting up of the Select Committee (Copac), led to the convening of the first All Stakeholders Conference-which Zanu Pf frantically tried to derail in vain, the public consultation process, the drafting, and is now at the stage of tabling the draft to the second all stakeholders conference set for the 21^st to the 23^rd of October.

The people’s process has reached a no-going-back stage and it is the demand of the Youth Assembly that the people’s will be respected, that the remaining stages be expedited timeously as the nation moves closer to the completion of the transition to a new democratic Zimbabwe. The Assembly would like to warn any other parties and/or any terror group that harbor any intentions of derailing the freedom train to desist from that and honor the people’s will.

Change is inevitable.

Together to the end… Building a youth with a difference.

By MDCYA Information department

MDC members denied bail, case resumes tomorrow

High Court Judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu today denied bail to 29 MDC activists detained on charges of murdering a police officer at Glen View  shopping center in May 2011.

The judge instructed the defense team led by Beatrice Mtetwa to seek bail through the Supreme Court and dismissed evidence given to the court by the late Mutedza’s brother Tichaona Mutedza and father Solomon Mutedza that the deceased had missing body parts on him - an indication that Mutedza could have been murdered elsewhere.

The judge cited irregularities saying the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights had coached Mutedza’s brother to incriminate Zanu PF and the police. The judge said this was not permissible in Court and therefore could not be justified as strong evidence against the allegations.

Justice Bhunu said that since Tichaona Mutedza noticed that there were missing parts and decided not to report to the police to confirm this, the testimony could have been a fabrication. He described the evidence as fictitious without any value and a waste of the court’s time.

Mtetwa  in turn  argued that if the evidence given by the Mutedzas’ was fictitious, then the evidence by state witnesses that the 29 activists got into two cars after the murder was also based on hearsay since there are no witnesses and therefore, fictitious.

The judge then adjourned the case to tomorrow.

Justice Bhunu said it was normal for murder cases to drag for more than two years and in this particular case the number of the accused justified the length of time taken to bring the case to finality.

Mai Tsvangirai together with Hon. Douglas Mwonzora and Hon. Nelson Chamisa were at the court giving moral support to the detained MDC members.

The MDC maintains that the detained members are law-abiding citizens who have no case to answer. The Party acknowledges the dire need for change in the country so that our laws can be impartial and citizens can receive free and fair trial.

Meanwhile, Jackson Mabota and Tarisai Kusotera the two MDC Youth Assembly leaders from Glen View South are still detained at Harare Central Police Station, two days after their arrest  for allegedly murdering Inspector Mutedza. They will appear before a Harare magistrate tomorrow.

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

365 Days of incarceration: Daylight raping of justice.

Solomon Madzore

365 days ago, heavily armed policemen pounced on the Youth Assembly President Solomon ‘Mandela’ Madzore’s residence in Waterfalls-Harare, rounded him and subsequently locked him up. The President joined 28 other party members, leaders, human right activists who had already been toiling under political persecution-tortured and grossly ill-treated. 

Today, the Youth Assembly, the Party, Human rights activists and the nation at large, bemoan the gross injustices, human rights abuses and heartless torture that the Glen View 29 have gone through for over a year now. 

World over, political persecution of opponents has been a renowned characteristic of clueless dictators who would have fast fallen out of favor with the masses- yet history has shown us that those would be the tertiary symptoms of the imminent departure of fascist regimes. 

Nelson Mandela in prison

The world icon, Mandela spent 27 years in incarceration in the hands of the brutal apartheid regime, and it fell. Martin Luther Jnr., Mahatma Gandhi, Raila Odinga, Wamba de Wamba among others were all persecuted yet emerged victors over fascisms and dictatorships. 

The brutal Zanu PF regime has tortured, maimed and killed innocent civilians and political activists in their now 32 year power retention quest. President Morgan Tsvangirai has been brutalized, prosecuted but the people have continued to rally behind him and clearly spoken out for change. Nelson Chamisa, Elton Mangoma, Jestina Mukoko, Munyaradzi Gwisai and others, Jennie Williams among other influential activists have suffered regrettable brutality and prosecution in the jaws of the regime. 

Johannes Tomana

The incarceration of the Glen View 29 is a clear case of political persecution meant to send chills of trepidation to the sons and daughters of Zimbabwe. It is an apparent case of aggravated efforts by Zanu Pf to destabilize the Youth Assembly, the Party and the broader pro-democracy movement. The clueless Zanu Pf which has been rejected by the people and has also failed-in fact has no means- to appeal to the peace loving; democracy-thirsty citizens of Zimbabwe has shown its desperation and resorted to violence, terror and persecution to prolong its stay in power. 

The Youth Assembly would like to painstakingly affirm that its foundations remain strong and will continue to demand justice.  Their rights to fair trial, personal liberty, and human dignity have been trampled upon. Their freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; freedom of movement and residence; have been curtailed. We cannot afford anymore to watch as the fundamental freedoms and human rights of sons and daughters of Zimbabwe are grossly disregarded.

The MDC Youth Assembly would like to demand the unconditional release of these prisoners of conscience and the restoration of their freedoms and rights. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. 

Justice Now. Justice delayed is justice denied. FREE THEM NOW.

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

Our Last Mile….

The MDC family celebrated its thirteen years of a focused peoples struggle for real emancipation in Bulawayo at the weekend.

We have come a long..The peoples President.

 

13 years ago, Zimbabweans, tired of a corrupt system of governance, rose up to demand democratic space and seek emancipation. The Movement of the people, the MDC was instituted to spearhead the struggle for change and transformation.

The road behind has been bumpy, crooked yet the sons and daughters of Zimbabwe have endured. The Youth Assembly would like to applaud the broader membership for remaining focused and vigilant.

The movement has over these thirteen years brought together the working people, the students, the peasants, women, residents, academics and beyond – to further the pro-poor agenda through disciplined pursuit of social democracy. This has seen the party strongly pursuing a people driven constitution agenda since 2000, with a historic mobilization for the rejection of an imposter document. The party has genuinely pursued this agenda to the level of producing a people’s document that is set to be tabled to the stakeholders soon.

The pursuit of the real change and the people’s emancipation agenda has seen the party peacefully participate in elections against the non-tolerant culture from thick skinned Zanu Pf, ultimately winning parliamentary majority and the presidential election in the 2008 plebiscite. The Youth Assembly greatly acknowledges and salutes the role that the young cadreship of the party has played and would like to wish even stronger hearts as the struggle enters the last mile. The assembly salutes and draws inspiration from the real change heroes- Learnmore Judah Jongwe, Tonderai Ndira, Youth Commander Chikadaya, Better Chokururama among others who have sacrificed life and limp in pursuit of the vision of the movement and the people of Zimbabwe.

Let there be PEACE....

The people’s movement has encountered several challenges along the way-internal and external, which the movement perseveringly turned into stepping stones. The movement proudly stands today as the largest party in the country.

The mile ahead is indeed a mile crammed with crucial events that are going to craft the trajectory to the nation’s destiny. The people of Zimbabwe have laid their voice regarding how they want their country to be governed in the historic people driven constitution making process, which the assembly will mobilize for cementing in the coming referendum. The youth assembly will scale up the “My Voice is in. My Vote is yes” campaign against all odds.

 It is the young people’s obligation in this last mile to stand up, act and take charge of their own destiny. An opportunity to transform the nation to a new democratic Zimbabwe we have been fighting for the past 13 years is here. The Assembly would like to challenge young people to register to vote, to go out in their numbers to vote and to be prepared to go out en-mass to defend their vote.

A New Zimbabwe is within reach.

Our Era is now. Let’s do it now to shape our own destiny.

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.