Sunday, 17 October 2010 13:33
A survivor of the infamous June 3 2008 militia attack on the MDC-T Jerera offices which claimed the lives of three activists has launched a stinging tirade on the party leaders for abandoning victims of political violence.
A visibly irritated Edison Gwenhure said MDC-T had forgotten him and wondered whether the leaders still remembered the grassroots activists who propelled them to power.
“From all the struggles I waged for the party, all I got was disability,” said Gwenhure, who suffered serious body and facial burns after a Zanu PF militia doused him with petrol.
He made his comments just a metre away from the makeshift office which was petrol-bombed by five men who came in uniform.
Gwenhure survived the attack but three of his colleagues lost their lives.
Asked what he thought about war veteran leader Jabulani Sibanda’s widely condemned activities in Zaka district, an area he once fiercely fought to defend, Gwenhure said he had lost interest in politics.
“Why should I be involved, what do I get from it. Look at me, look at my face I never received any compensation for the suffering I went through.”
“I fight and get these injuries. Look at the MP (Harrison Mudzuri), he enjoys driving around in a double cab. People like us who endured the brunt of the Zanu PF militia are now like scarecrows with no one bothering to help us.”
Gwenhure however said, like any other Zimbabwean who had a right to vote, he would go the polls and cast his vote for MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and the councillor for the area Peter Imbayarwo whom he said stayed among the people.
“I have learnt my lesson,” said Gwenhure, “I am more careful this time. Even for you (this journalist), I won’t allow you to take my picture, you can use the one in your files.”
BY WALTER MARWIZI
This article first appeared in The Zimbabwe Standard
No comments:
Post a Comment