We have no power, we are just civilians

I AM writing this letter to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri, her Home Affairs counterpart Kazembe Kazembe and Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) director-general Isaac Moyo.

Please do not unleash armed soldiers, police and CIOs on innocent civilians. We are just civilians and have no power to fight back armed security forces.

When State agents come to us, they come armed, they torture us while we hide our faces. All we can do is cry for forgiveness and beg for freedom.

Some civilians have died and others were crippled during torture. Some women have been raped, others forced to drink repugnant substances. All this because we have no power.

Rest in peace Tonderai Ndira, Rebecca Mafikeni, Itai Dzamara and many other civilians who have disappeared or were abducted at the hands of State agents.

Sorry to Joanah Mamombe, Netsai Marova, Cecilia Chimbiri, Davison Chamisa and other civilians who were abducted and brutalised for exercising their rights.

It is not stubbornness that makes us express our feelings, demonstrate and call for rule of law, but it is love for our dear Zimbabwe.

When you see us demonstrating on the streets, we are just saying no to corruption. We are simply saying Zimbabwe must be a better country with jobs, a real and stable currency, better education system, healthy system, among others. We are only demanding what is rightfully ours. We are not being unreasonable.

Zimbabwe must regain its status of being the breadbasket of Africa. We have good soil for farming, grass for ranching, diamonds are in abundance in Manicaland, gold in Manicaland, Midlands and Mashonaland, granite in Mutoko, we have platinum, coal, chrome around our country. We are simply saying all these must be well-managed so that all of us equally enjoy the benefit. It is diabolical to send armed State agents to beat up and kill innocent and unarmed citizens who are just calling for the development of their country.

We are just civilians, we have no power to fight you back.

Harare West MP Joanah Mamombe (MDC Alliance) is hoisted by colleagues after being found dumped near Bindura in May together with two other female party activists