Activists tell of looting, torture in Zimbabwe
A University of Fort Hare graduate hiding out in SA after fleeing Zimbabwe in the wake of the country’s violent July 31 uprising has described how President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime is “eating its own people”.
In an exclusive interview with the Dispatch, Juma Ulete explained how his family back in Zimbabwe is being harassed to give up his location south of the border.
“Abduction and torture are happening and I’m running away from that,” said Ulete, an activist who rails against the government by way of social media campaigns like #ZimLivesMatter and #Tajamuka.
The hoped-for new dawn under Mnangagwa has failed to materialise, with Robert Mugabe’s replacement threatening citizens at every turn.
Mnangagwa said last week that “dark forces” were attempting to derail his presidency and vision for Zimbabwe. He called them “destructive terrorist opposition groupings”.
Scores of demonstrators were arrested by government forces and police on July 31.
Ulete, who holds a Master’s degree in political science from UFH, told the Dispatch about “atrocities” carried out under Mnangagwa’s instruction.
He claimed close to R2bn had been looted by those in government positions. It was this that sparked the unrest that has seen state security forces being deployed to “shut up” opposition members and activists.
“The situation in Zim is bad.”
Ulete accused those in power of looting, and “who are now living extravagantly and driving luxury cars like G-wagons and Bentleys and building houses like those you see in Hollywood.
“Billions of rand have been stolen, including money from the Covid-19 relief fund.”
“We are just tired of this now. We are standing up by way of demonstrations, which are allowed by the constitution.
Our government is a dictatorship, a tyranny. They didn’t take that protest action well. They started arresting activists and all the people protesting.”
A prominent Zimbabwean journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, was arrested five weeks ago for blowing the whistle on alleged corruption in government ranks.
Ulete said: “Many people are in hiding, Hopewell was at the forefront of exposing corruption and right now he’s sitting in prison. Some people have been beaten to death in Bulawayo and that’s still continuing.
“There’s chaos in Zimbabwe instigated by the government using state security sectors. The Zanu-PF government has gone rogue and is eating its own people.”
He said soldiers and police were harassing his family so they would give up information on his whereabouts.
Last month it was reported that Mnangagwa’s government gave Dubai-based Drax Consult contracts worth $60m (R1bn) for medical supplies to fight Covid-19.
It is alleged that Drax overcharged for the goods by more than $500,000 (R8.8m).
The local representative of the company, who is linked to Mnangagwa’s sons, has been charged after it emerged that Interpol was investigating the firm for money laundering in relation to a $2m (R35m) payment from the Zimbabwean government.
Elisha Mutize, a former UFH SRC treasurer who is now a tutor in Pretoria, fears for his family back home.
In 2013 Mutize lost his government-sponsored scholarship for supporting the opposition MDC instead of the ruling Zanu-PF.
“I have a family there and I’m scared for them because there is no freedom of speech. Even speaking to you journalists now is a criminal offence in Zimbabwe,” said Mutize.
“Some of my friends who have been speaking out against corruption are in jail. Journalists are being arrested for raising the alarm against corrupt practices. People are hungry while they are dealing with Covid-19. Nurses are on strike. But if you speak about that you are regarded as an enemy of the state,” said Mutize.
He said Mnangagwa had promised people “milk and honey” but instead he was running the country like it was his “tuck shop”. —