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21 May 2008
By Chengetai Mupara
I am sad to report that on Saturday 17th June 2008 at round midnight (GMT) my mother, Reverend Winnet Mupara of the United Methodist Church’s Chitakatira Circuit and brother Guyson Mupara (27) were savagely attacked by vigilantes loyal Mugabe’s Zanu PF at their house in Chitakatira.
This group was acting on the express instructions of Zanu PF and my cousin, Grace Mvududu who stood as a Zanu PF candidate for Councillor in Gombakomba (near Mutare) and lost to the MDC.
The group were let into the house when one of them knocked on the door and stated that she was Mrs Marange, wife of the priest of the neighbouring parish; that she had stayed out late and would like a place to sleep before continuing her journey the following morning.
My mother opened the door to what she believed to be a wife of a colleague who needed help. To her disbelief the woman was leading a group of young men and women in military uniform.
The group informed my mother and brother that they had information from their leader Grace, to the effect that:
1. they were staunch supporters of the MDC;
2. the group had reason to believe that MDC paraphernalia (cards, t-shirts, fliers and other campaign materials) were kept in the house.
3. that my mother frequently preached MDC-friendly gospel and/or sermons to her congregation; and
4. that her son (Chengetai Mupara) was a known member of the MDC and is now living in ‘London’ (Zimbabwe short for UK).
My mother and brother were requested to surrender all that MDC materials in their custody. My brother and brother could not produce any of the items because they did not have any of it. They invited the group to search for these items anywhere in the house; they found nothing.
My mother and brother were taken out of the house and immersed in cold water. There were then forced to sit down and lashed with makeshift whips made of metal wires and wood planks. They were lashed on the back, under the feet and on the buttocks. They suffered severe bodily injuries namely, loss of skin and loss of flesh and gapping wounds on legs, back and buttocks. My mother lost fingernails.
This torture happened in the presence of my mother’s granddaughter and my cousin’s daughter who has mental health problems. Both girls are below the age of 10. The group stopped the beatings after 2 hours and left without making any arrangements for their victims to be treated. My mother and brother were taken away for treatment following the intervention of church members and leaders 10 hours later. Fortunately, the injuries are not life threatening but we continue to monitor the situation.
Blood is thicker than water. I implore my cousin Grace to think long and hard about what she has done to her own family in the name of Zanu PF and the relation between me, you, your children and the rest of our family going forward? We cannot continue to have a situation of sister turning on sister; brother turning on brother, child turning on parent. For what?
• Inflation is now over 165,000% and rising.
• Life expectancy of 37 and 34 for men and women respectively and decreasing.
• Unemployment is 90% and rising.
• Sporadic essential services, inconsistent water and electricity supply.
• Collapsed education and health delivery systems
• No rule of law and respect of human rights in general.
I remind my cousin Grace and her Zanu PF colleagues, that there is no good enough reason, least of all political; to attack anyone, never mind family, in Zimbabwe today. Our nation is at crossroad. We are staring into abyss. This is not the Zimbabwe we all want. The Zimbabwe we all love needs change now more than ever before. And yes, I say with no regret, shame, apologies, fear or favour that a vote for Morgan Tsvangirai on 27th June 2008 is a vote for the Zimbabwe we want.
We shall overcome!
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