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DURING the March 2008 harmonised elections and the subsequent one man presidential run-off, they sacrificed everything to make sure the Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai won the election.
To them, spending many days and nights in the open, without food and away from their families was not an issue.
They did not complain when they were beaten, they were not moved when they became regulars at filthy cells and at Zanu PF bases, disguised as information centres. All they wanted was to ensure “the people’s project” succeeds.
Some of them, like the late Tonderai Nyahunzvi, were honest “soldiers” who literally left their homes to be in the trenches.
Their hopes were very high that when the MDC-T finally gets into government, life would be much better.
And when the inclusive government was formed, Elizabeth Saidi, Taizivei Gasa and the late Rumbidzai Kurira, among many other Mbare women, were hopeful that they would finally reap the benefits of the suffering and unhealed wounds of 2008.
But to date, Nyahunzvi, Kurira and other MDC-T activists have died some of them from causes related to the 2008 election violence. Saidi said they have unsuccessfully tried to share their plight with the MDC-T leadership, but their pleas are falling on deaf ears.
Addressing her colleagues who attended Kurira’s funeral wake at Mbare’s Joburg Lines on May 22, Saidi said they had been betrayed by politicians they supported under the most difficult of circumstances.
“We are not happy with these politicians, they only use us when it suits them, and then forget about us while they enjoy,” said Saidi.
“Some of us are living positively (with HIV), but nobody is giving us any help.
“We are also looking after orphans whose parents succumbed to political violence.
“The same people we were with in the trenches seem to have forgotten us.
“Right now we struggled to meet funeral expenses for our departed colleague, Amai Kurira.”
The struggle for survival continues to worsen for the women, who have no regular means of survival.
Most of them cannot access market stalls at the bus terminus, as most of them have been taken over by Zanu PF supporters.
“Right now, our children are not going to school; they are now growing up in the streets.
“We cannot afford the one dollar per head every week for our children.
“These politicians promised us education for all, but our children live in the streets because they cannot access that education,” she added.
Frustrated by their apparent neglect, Saidi and scores of other women formed the Women of Mbare Arise (WOMA), which brings together female activists who have suffered violence.
“We formed this organisation last year as a way of helping each other as victims of violence,” said Saidi.
“So far, we have buried more than 20 women activists who died from causes related to the injuries they sustained during the violence.
“We have had to bear the funerals alone, the people we sacrificed everything for have never set foot here. Maybe we will see them during the next campaign.”
So emotional were the activists that they even vowed never to vote for Mbare legislator Piniel Denga and his Southerton counterpart, Gift Chimanikire, as well as local councillor Paul Gorekore.
Most of the WOMA members are widows. They contribute at least one dollar monthly, which is used for welfare programmes for members. The club now has more than 400 members, but only 250 are consistent with their one dollar per month subscriptions.
Addressing the women after Kurira’s burial, Pastor Lawrence Berejena — who is also an MDC-T activist — said the level of suffering that political activists across the country were going through was a serious case for national healing.
“I feel these are people who the organ on national healing should meet,” said Berejena.
“They are people suffering from the spirit of rejection. They have nowhere to start from. The government of national unity should protect the poor, just like the Bible says.”
Berejena said he had counselled a number of MDC supporters from different parts of the country, who felt neglected by the leadership of the “people’s project”.
But MDC-T spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa said they had not turned their backs on the needs of the party’s rank and file.
“I do not think what they are saying is true,” said Chamisa. “We have done extraordinary things under extraordinary circumstances for our supporters.
“We have a social welfare department charged with all these issues. We have put in place restorative and rehabilitative programmes under the social welfare department to assist our supporters across the country, restoring those who lost their resources and were displaced from their homes, rehabilitating those who are survivors.
“We have already identified thousands of people across the country. It is a huge task that cannot be done sufficiently by one political party. We need a national response. We thought that would be done through national healing, as a party we can only do so much.”
Chamisa said there could be a hidden hand in some of the claims being made against the party.
He said in addition to meeting the welfare needs of thousands of supporters, they have also met the funeral expenses of a number of their activists.
The MDC-T says over 200 of its supporters were killed during the 2008 election period while thousands were left with life threatening injuries after they were tortured at Zanu PF bases.
BY VUSUMUZI SIFILE
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