It was painful, says Mukoko
March 2, 2009
Jestina Mukoko in hospital after bail was granted.
By Our Correspondent
HARARE – Jailed human rights activist Jestina Mukoko is free at last. Mukoko, who is the director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), was granted bail of US$ 600 on Monday afternoon by Harare Magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe.
She had spent three months to the day in custody following her abduction on December 3, 2009.
Mukoko who was being detained in the Avenues Hospital forced a smile as she spoke about of her freedom. Dressed in hospital garb, Mukoko said she was delighted to receive her freedom at last.
“I am free now and I must concentrate on my health,” said Mukoko who looks emaciated and unwell. “The time will come for me to comment to the media. I am still being attended to by the doctors and I might be in here for some weeks to come.”
She was flanked by her two brothers. Lawyer Harrison Nkomo said the decision to grant Mukoko bail was reached after officials from the Attorney General’s office had told them that they were not opposed to bail.
“We then went to the magistrate’s court for the normal bail proceedings before Magistrate Guvamombe,” said Nkomo. “She was then granted a US$600 bail and was requested to deposit a security title of US$20 000 value at the clerk of court as part of the bail conditions.
He said Mukoko was required to report to Norton Police Station twice a week and remain at her Norton house until the court proceedings are finalised.
Mukoko described her time in prison as painful but said she had no hard feelings against any of the wardens and officials who looked after her.
“It’s good to be free, it has been painful,” she said.
Asked about her abduction from her Norton home last December, she said, “I don’t want to talk about that now.”
Another released activist who shared the same hospital room with Mukoko, Fidelis Chiramba, 72, said he was disappointed to have spent months in custody for committing no crime.
“I am very much disappointed because I did not commit any crime,” he said. “I didn’t do anything wrong against the country or anyone in this country. We were treated like dogs. I was detained in almost every police station around Harare.”
Chiramba said he was tortured and was very disappointed by the manner in which he was treated by the government.
“I was tortured continuously around my private parts. At one point they put me in a fridge and that’s when I got to know that ice is hot, said Chiramba.
He was abducted from his Banket home on October 31.
One of Mukoko’s brothers, Cosmos, said he was relieved that his sister had regained her freedom.
He said, “I am happy that she is out and I hope she recovers quickly so that she can come home.”
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Mugabe is evil period…he is Africa’s Hitler we all know it!
One can tell that Tawanda is a Zanu stalwart who does not think before making a comment. In his own sane mind does he think these activists are giulty in any way having been kept for so long withit being brought to justice? Why do people of his ilk think that when you are a human rights activist, you are fronting western imperialists? Could be sour grapes because you could not get a similar job because of your partisan warped thinking.
mugabe jnr tell your grandpa to stop the kind of diatribe that he spewed out on his birthday if you are to entertain any skilled diaspora to come and assist in rebuilding that country he has plundered. For you to hide behind the sanctions as having brought the demise in which that country finds itself is hypocricy of the highest order.
Please wake up all of you. Think of things starting from the murder of Tongogara, through the Gukurahundi atrocities in the Midlands and Matabeleland. No hiding, Zanu-PF is a killer.
This is not freedom. She is under house arrest and her reluctance to talk about her torture, abduction and the allegations say it all. She has cut a deal. her freedom in return for silence and not pressing charges. This is the death of democracy. We cannot tell her what to do as she is the one who suffered but in due course the people who did this will strike again and we will wonder why they don’t stop. Where they get the courage to do this. It is from our own lack of strength, our own fears and reluctance to confront the beast. I understand this is me writing from the comfort of my own home and my stance might differ if I ever enter the judicial “system” in Zimbabwe but we are all Zimbabwean and we should realise a few facts right now.
We are facing a demon in the form of the ZANU PF thugs masquerading as lawyers, politicians, law enforcement officers, intelligence agents and attorneys. We all need change to come to our country and we realise the demon will resist this change. If you agree to take up the fight for change to come then you put yourself at risk of the demons tactics and you must be prepared to see it through. This is blackmail and we should not give in to blackmail because they come back for more and strike again. It should be our unequivocal stance that we do not negotiate with terrorists. Anyone taken prisoner will get the maximum exposure from those outside, they will be given daily airplay on the media and we will not stop fighting for their freedom but we will never cut deals at the expense of change. So it’s either they set you free without conditions or they keep you in until international and regional pressure forces them to see the light.
Jestina Mukoko is now out of the fight for democracy. She is under house arrest and her court case will be delayed for so long as she keeps away from politics. The minute she enters into the fray, the minute she speaks of what happened to her or presses charges, exposing those who tortured her then the charges will be resuscitated and she will go back into the “system”. Is that what we want?
I am not one to speak on courage as I have never been in there and I don’t know the full scale of what she endured but I do recall one famous persons wise words of wisdom which went along the lines of…how much abuse can a dictator give his people? Only as much as they will let him get away with. In Zanu-PF’s eyes we have reached the limit of the abuse of our rights, we can take more and they will give us more.
Mugabe junior: whatever you call yourself, zvarwadza, we can see. It is more than clear that our progress is your downfall. The past 29 years saw you lavishing on our sweat. Do not hide behind your finger; you are an enemy to our progress. You were happy to see MDC supporters dying and rotting in prison, Jestina included. No amount of men can stop change, change is inevitable Mr. Junior. In 1972 my father was arrested for influencing a regime change. He was lucky to be released seven years later. He was happy to come back home. He didn’t regret the reasons for his imprisonment. “When you are fighting a regime change, you have to bury yourself first, I mean your own life should be secondary” My father used to say this, so people like Jestina to me are like role models of my father.
Jestina was very much aware of the dangers she was getting herself into when she started campaigning for people’s rights. Her arrest brought change. That’s what she fought for. Some people lost their lives to the lost battles in the past while others won battles but died soon after. Mukoko’s smile is that of a warrior who has won the battle and lived to see the change. It’s going to be easy for Jestina to forget the torture that she went through while in detention. In fact very soon she is going to relate the events with a smile on her face. She is a victor. The truth is generations shall live to enjoy the proceeds of her good work.
Mugabe junior, your message reminds me of your father’s proverb, “the last kick of a dying horse” definitely you are saying your last words. However don’t be fooled by Tsvangirai telling you that they shall be forgiveness. Justice is going to take its place. What I can say as an individual is that, Zimbabweans should consider not hanging your father considering the good things he has done among the worst. It is very well known that when Zanu-PF was voted into power, it does quiet a lot of tremendous good things to change the lives of black Zimbabweans. Our former colonial masters treated us less of human beings. The truth nobody denies. Zanu-PF and ZAPU wrestled with Smith’s government to liberate the oppressed in Zimbabwe. Because of the leaders selfish desires they failed to stand to their promise. A price they should pay.
If Zanu-PF is pardoned for its wrong doing and walks away absolutely free, MDC will follow suit. Zimbabweans are waiting for confessions. Some people are still missing. They deserve decent burials. I am just 40 but I am burying victims of a regime change for the second time. It’s very dangerous for Tsvangirai to suggest forgiveness; we are not prepared to forgive MDC if they happen to do the same. So they must learn by seeing justice taking its course now.
On the issue of the Diaspora, the equation is very simple. What are the pull factors for the Diaspora to come to Zimbabwe? You need to know what it means to be home. I think Diaspora has become better homely to many Zimbabweans. Although the elements of racism still exist, the governments allow a platform to fight it by putting in place laws. There are no push factors abroad. Several times I have left my hand bag on the bus, in the store in the restaurant, it was returned to me with all its contents, cash included. We are no longer used to move around pressing hard on the hand bag. You can live your laundry outside to dry for a week. Nobody bothers. It’s not because everybody is rich, it’s about good governance.
I pity you Mr Junior; people who really care about the well-being of the country are those such as Jestina who remained at home to fight for a change. She is one person you need to salute. Forget about the people in the Diaspora, they are not labouring for any government as you put it but for their personal desires. Remember people are into salaried jobs. Give and take. When enough damage was made to people’s lives they packed their bags. Diaspora has become home to so many Zimbabweans. The key to success in your idea is to influence change in Zimbabwe to attract the Diaspora. I mean create pull factors and stop speaking nonsense after you ruined the country,
You are just one venomous animal. You want to claim to know how Mukoko earned a living through betraying her government. Hopefully you can differentiate between Jonathan Moyo form Jestina. The problem you have is that you underestimate the intelligence of the readers of your comments. Mukoko was arrested because she was active in informing the public of their rights and revealing the dirty works of the regime. How she earned a living my dear, does not concern anybody. At least you have not castigated her as a thief. While I stand to thank those who supported her emotionally I want to thank those people who supported her financially since you have mentioned it.
May God bless every good hand feeding Zimbabweans during this time of need.
I wonder who the hell Proud New Farmer is? But just from the nature of his name, it appears its one of those farms that have just been invaded. Honestly what can you expect from a person who does not respect property rights. I wonder what he means when he says to let the law take its own course? Proud New Farmer can you be specific and tell us which law in Zimbabwe you are talking about.
The release of Jestina is sweet music to any sane Zimbabweans. Yes she is out on a very expensive bail but ask anybody in the AG’s office in Zimbabwe, this is the end of her case. You must remember that she has actually not been formaly charged for any real crime. The old man was spot on when he lamented the fact that he had been in prison for no crime at all.
What I think is more significant is the fact that some people where doubting that the Prime Minister had any ability to influence change in the new government. Yes it may take time but Morgan is now on the steering wheel and anyone who is still trying to put spanners to the wheels will eventually be run over by the Morgan Mobile. On Friday he made a very revealing comment; ” If these things had not been ironed out, would I be here?”. This was in reference to the prisoners, the Permanent secs, the RBZ, The AG and other outstanding issues. In less than two weeks there will be a new set of Perm secs, a new set of governors, a new team of ambassadors and most likely a new RBZ governor and a new AG. Change, Tawanda, otherwise the Morgan Mobile will leave you behind!
Gazelle – I am referring to a cornerstone of the Rule of Law, namely, the separation of powers between the judiciary and the executive, which prohibits a Prime Minister attempting to release a terror suspect, merely because he is white.
Similarly, property rights are enshrined in our constitution and the Land Acquisition Act allows me to sit here on my farm in adherence with the law and moral justice.
MODERATOR: In which part of Sommerville, MA, is your farm located?