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Justice should prevail first before elections
Heal Zimbabwe Trust
February 04, 2011

Local communities in Buhera held 13 memorial services for victims of the post 29 March 2008 political violence. The memorial services were held in Buhera North, West, South and Central from 24 to 30 January 2010. In Buhera 17 people died as a result of political violence. 70% of the political violence cases reported in Buhera, the army and the police had a part to play in torturing innocent civilians. On average the violence in Buhera was perpetrated by people known in the community there were few cases of outsiders. There is need to continue coming up with programmes that bring the community together in promoting human dignity, respecting the sanctity of life and promote the "Ubuntu" culture.

Buhera Memorials

Some of the memorial services with peculiar cases are:

Enatty Chiremba

D.O.B -10-06-1942
D.O.D - 22-08-2008
In attendance were 123 people- 73 women and 60 men

Background

It was around 4am on 29 July 2008 when about 70 people, the majority being youths came to the deceased homestead and knocked at the door, demanding to see Cleopas Chiremba, the son of the deceased. Most of the perpetrators were known to the family. They started beating up Cleopas's parents and forced marched them to a base and his mother was forced to bring with her a chicken as a token of surrendering to ZANU PF. Before they even reached the base, his father was released but they took his mother with them to the base where she was severely tortured. She spent the whole day at the base and was later taken to Buhera police station where she stayed for four days and later released without charge.

She was hospitalized for one week and discharged but within 5 days she passed away as a result of the wounds inflicted on her. The perpetrators were there at the funeral, making sure the family does not grieve the passing away of Enatty Chiremba. The children of the deceased, Lloyd and Cleopas Chiremba later on revenged on the perpetrators and were arrested, fined and later released.

Alleged Perpetrators

• Phillip Gunduwo- team leader
• Marufu Muchina
• Amon Chawahwina
• Jeremiah Muziringa
• Munyaradzi Chipambe
• Anyway Jongwe
• George Chakanetsa
• Hokonya Hokonya
• Virimai Mativanga
• Trust Chakanetsa
• Brighton Chinembiri
• Flocious Chamahwina

Soldiers Present

• Major Svosve
• Chawira
• Muriyeingwe
• Muvengwa- war veteran

Reason for Death

• Cooking for MDC youths
• Post mortem
• Fractured scalp

Shadreck Chivarange

D.O.B - 06- 01-1951
D.O.D - 15-12-2008
In attendance were 120 people, 70 women and 50 men

Background

It was on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 when Shadreck Chivarange was taken by youths and severely assaulted. The youths were led by Charles Garamera "Chidza' and Phillip Gundungwe who beat him, twisting his legs in the process. He was taken to an army base camp which was being coordinated by Major Svosve who also assaulted him and took him to Buhera police station where he stayed there for four days and was later taken to Murambinda Magistrates court where he was allegedly falsely charged for murdering a ZANU PF youth and bailed out for 1 trillion. The deceased never recovered from the torture and failed to get adequate and timely medical attention leading to his death on 15 December 2008.

Mupango Chokuse

D.O.B - 16-05-1948
D.O.D - 17-05-2008
About 90 people were in attendance.

Background

Mupango was the chairman of ward 27 under the MDC banner. About 30 youth came and terrorized the whole of ward 27 on 12 May 2008 but where overpowered by the villagers. They returned again on 16 May and were overpowered once more. They returned again on 17 May and regrouped around 2pm but this time with soldiers, they were around 600. Chokuse ran away and hid in the toilet but they searched everywhere until they found him. Two of the abductors, Dick and Chitima were members of the police and had guns which they were using to intimidate the people. They started assaulting him and took him to Njerere base where they wanted to show Joseph Chinotimba, the alleged base commander, evidence of capturing the deceased. They once more started assaulting him using sticks, catapults, knives and sjamboks. Mr. Chinotimba then saw that the deceased was about to pass out that is when he ordered the youth to put him in his car so he could take him for treatment at a local clinic but before he reached the hospital he passed away in his car.

Alleged Perpetrators

• Joseph Chinotimba
• Bvumai
• Amos Maruva
• Charles Mukanwa
• Mordekai Chimombe
• Forget Chimombe

Mysterious stories after his Death

Chokuse stayed in a mortuary in Bierchinough Bridge for more than 3 months as the police were undecided on what exactly to do with the deceased corpse. The family heard reports that the police were planning to throw the corpse in Save River but they could not remove his body from the mortuary as it is allegedly that when people entered the mortuary they would find him seated and raising his hands the MDC slogan way. It is allegedly that when they tried to take him he would start to shout at the top of his voice demanding to know why Joseph Chinotimba had killed him. When they tried again the following morning, they would find other corpses thrown all over the floor as a sign of protest from Chokuse. This mystery raised a lot of talk with the story appearing in newspapers and online news highlighting the mystery.

It was after frantic efforts were made by the police to decompose his body that they finally gave up and took his body to his homestead where his two wives were forced to bury him without a coffin in the middle of the night. They iced his body in an effort to conceal the deep scars which he had all over his body. He had one eye and a leg missing and had his genitals mutilated.

Reuben Muteve

D.O.B - 16-01-1971
D.O.D - 12-07-2008
In attendance were 160 people.

Mr. Reuben Muteve was assaulted by youths on 30 June 2008 after he was lured to a ZANU PF celebration meeting where the perpetrators lied to him that the meeting was a get together meeting to reconcile both MDC and ZANU PF supporters. At the meeting, youths led by Patrick (ward 16, councilor) and Aneas Chimbare (brothers) started assaulting him accusing him of running away when they were searching for him during the March 28 harmonized elections.

They started assaulting him especially his back with sticks and were bragging that they wanted to leave him impotent. The perpetrators poured water on him when he lost consciousness. He was later released but passed away on 12 July 2008.

After his death

His family could not come to terms with his and took his body to the allegedly perpetrator's homestead(the Chimbares'), in turn the perpetrators reported the case to the police who forced the Muteve family to collect their corpse but the Muteve's were adamant. They would go and collect the corpse from the police station and return it again to the perpetrators homestead. This misunderstanding took more than three months until Reuben's brothers were arrested and sentenced to two years in imprisonment for extortion. They were given an option of agreeing to bury their relative so that the sentence would be suspended.

The deceased was later buried after 3 months but under protest from the relatives. After one year, the family approached the International Court for the Jurists (ICJ) seeking for assistance in making sure the perpetrators are brought before the court of law. The case was pursued leading to the arrest of Patrick Chimbare and Aneas Chimbare who spent more than 20 months at Rusape remand prison awaiting sentence. This is one of the few cases where perpetrators of political violence especially ZANU PF sympathizers were taken before the court of Law. It is allegedly that the case is taking so long to be concluded because the magistrate is reluctant to pass judgment because of the political nature of the case. Heal Zimbabwe applauds the justice system for taking action as this sends a clear signal to would be offenders that sooner or later justice will take its course.

Munjodzi Madondo

D.O.B - 03-12-1942
D.O.D - 13-06-2008
In attendance were 150 people, 95 women and 55 men

Munjodzi Madondo was murdered on 13 June 2008 after he was attacked by more than 70 youths and war veterans. Everyone was called to attend a meeting where they were forced to surrender from MDC to ZANU PF, it is at the same meeting that they started beating up the deceased with huge sticks all over his body. The youths had earlier on tried to abduct him but failed to locate him leading to them creating a base close by his homestead to monitor his movements. After they discovered that they had seriously injured him, they put him in a wheel barrow and proceeded to his homestead but before they arrived, they met his son Joshua Madondo, whom they forced to ferry his father but before they reached his homestead he succumbed to the injuries and died.

Alleged Perpetrators

• Simbarashe Zvakanaka
• Joseph Guma
• Gezana Guma
• Abel Tivafire
• Moses Tivafire
• Linda Simbarashe
• Media Bvanyangu

After his death

The youths who killed Mr. Madondo were led by the ZANU PF district chairlady only identified as Mai Docca and her two son in laws. The Madondo family reported the case to Chief Mombeyarara who told them to take the corpse to the perpetrators homestead. Mai Docca when she saw the corpse she went and mobilized more than 100 youths who came and assaulted the Madondo family forcing them to bury their relatives. Chief Mombeyarara had highlighted that the Madondos' should only accept the deceased body after the perpetrators pay compensation for murdering an innocent soul but this was thwarted by rowdy youths.

The Chief was later victimized forcing him to suspend the case. The family reported the murder case to Buhera police station but the police were reluctant to take on board the case stating that it was difficult for them to deal with "political cases". He was later laid to rest after one week.

Silas Manyere

D.O.B - 20-06-1956
D.O.D - 26- 06-2008
In attendance were 95 people.

Some people were barred from attending the memorial service by the Sub- Chief stating that Silas was "a sell out" so no one was supposed to attend the memorial service. Mr. Manyere was nicknamed "Conqueror" for his immense role he played in mobilizing people to support his political party MDC. He was first assaulted in 2002 when he contested as a councilor, he never recovered from there. During the 2008 elections, he was an election observer that is when 43 youths came and abducted him during the night. It is allegedly that the youths wanted to "deal" with Conqueror as they claimed he was the backbone of his political party in Ward 8. For the perpetrators, dealing with Conqueror meant destabilizing his political party.

The youths were making several raids in the area and the whole village had ran away for safety, some had resorted to staying in mountains but Mr. Manyere on 26 June decided to return home to check on his livestock, little did he know that the youths were actually camped at his homestead. Upon seeing him they started assaulting him especially at the back. The wife was made to sit and watch while they were assaulting her husband. When they discovered that he had lost conscious they left him and the family took him to Buhera hospital where he passed away after three days.

Alleged Perpetrators

• Guide Nehande
• Onward Ndawana
• Pianos Choga
• Lionos Jonga
• Wellington Mapiye
• Kumbirai Samuel Zvinavashe

Tamai Mubvurwi

D.O.B - 10-05-1959
D.O.D - 10-11- 2008
In attendance were 78 people, 50 women and 28 men.

It is allegedly that Tamai Mubvurwi was not really active in politics but because of village grudges, he was labeled MDC by his neighbor, Mr. Chisora leading to the assault. The whole family was blindfolded by about 50 local youths who took them to a local base where they were thoroughly beaten for supporting the then opposition party, MDC. The other family members were beaten up and released but Mr. Mubvurwi was forced to remain at the base where the beatings continued. He was later released but only reached home the following day as he could not properly walk. He passed away upon reaching home and his private parts had been castrated. His family members are clamoring for justice as no one was arrested.

Ester Mutsaru Mararike

D.O.B -16-04-1948
D.O.D - 08-06-2008
In attendance were 170 people- 98 women and 72 men

An orgy of political violence marred ward 5 in Buhera after the March 2008 political violence leading to families resorting to stay in mountains for safety. The youth came looking for Ester Mutsaru's husband, Mr. Mararike whom they accused of influencing other villagers to support the MDC. Ester Mutsaru arranged for his husband to leave the homestead little did she know that she will be the victim of the violence. Information circulated that the youth were coming to beat up people so the whole village ran for safety but Mrs. Mararike because of her age could not run fast and was caught at a nearby village where they dragged her demanding to know the whereabouts of her husband. When she failed to disclose the information, they started assaulting her together with six other women using sticks and logs. The beating continued for more than two hours.

They dragged her for more than 300 meters and when they reached Gwebo River, they told the seven women to lie down so that they will act as bridges because the "comrades" did want to get wet. The perpetrators started walking on top of the seven women and did the same when they reached another river. Mrs. Mararike became unconscious and that is when the youths ran away leaving the woman lying by a tree. A car full of soldiers passed by and tried to assist her only to discover that she was already dead. The Mararike family are finding it difficult to come to terms with the gruesome murder of the deceased. They further stated that some of the perpetrators are known to the family and some of them came asking for forgiveness as they claim that they are having sleepless nights where they see Ester Mararike coming to them during the night demanding an explanation as to why they killed her. The family highlighted that they are not in a position to forgive or even tolerate the perpetrators until they fully compensate for killing Mrs. Mararike.

Traditional beliefs surrounding murdering innocent souls

In our Zimbabwean culture even in the bible, man was given power over all the creatures on earth but no man was given power over another man. The problem with instigating political violence is the spiritual consequences of avenging spirits "ngozi" do not go to the one who sends people to murder others but goes to the person who does the actual killing. Even if one kills an innocent soul and is sentenced before the formal court of law and is sentence, according to our traditional culture, appeasement has to be done and the effects will haunt you, your family and generations to come up to a stage the perpetrator settles the compensation.

Member of Parliament for Buhera West, Hon Matinenga who attended four of the memorial services stated that the challenge with murdering innocent souls is that those who send people to do such horrendous acts do not highlight that on top of the material rewards the perpetrators are given they should add "ngozi" on top of the reward as it is unavoidable to suffer the consequences of killing innocent blood.

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