I am a young man who resides in Zengeza 1, Chitungwiza. On September 20 2012 I met a young woman who resides in my street, who informed me of a meeting at St Mary’s hall, Huruyadzo, Chitungwiza. She told me that the meeting was going to be addressed by Ignatius Chombo, the Local Government, Rural and Urban Development minister. I got interested and attended the meeting with two friends from my neighbourhood and a work colleague, Collin Mapfumo. Little did I know that it was a Zanu PF meeting. I arrived at the meeting with my camera, laptop and my writing papers to take notes as I was coming from work. When the minister was speaking, I was approached by a young man who took us outside the venue.
While outside he brought some other gentlemen and together they started bombarding us with questions about who had invited us to the meeting and which districts we came from. I was glad to answer the questions which I had ready answers for.
We were interrogated by these guys for more than an hour, after being forced to sit on the ground. My work colleague Mapfumo was rewarded with a clap for attempting to explain himself. A digital camera which I had in my possession was taken away by these guys. We had to flee for our dear lives when an opportunity presented itself.
It is quite sad that only a few metres away, inside the community hall, the minister was preaching peace and tolerance urging everyone to co-exist peacefully and have political tolerance, as we are all daughters and sons of Zimbabwe.
Eddington Mutakiwa Shayanowako
