The body of an MDC-T activist who was allegedly gruesomely murdered by Zanu PF activists in Nyanga last week is lying unclaimed at the Mutare Provincial Hospital mortuary as the family of the deceased is demanding compensation before burial.
OBEY MANAYITI
Freedom Kanjira died last Tuesday after he was allegedly assaulted by two Zanu PF activists, Tawanda Chimbera (30) and Samuel Samungure (23).
Kanjira’s brother Shorai yesterday said the family could not ascertain whether Freedom died as a result of politically-motivated violence. But he confirmed that the family was demanding compensation before burial arrangements could be made.
“I don’t think this murder can be classified under political violence because what we have gathered is that there was a misunderstanding while they were drinking beer,” he said.
“We were told that the accused were drinking opaque beer and they demanded clear beer (lager pints) from Freedom who was having one. After he indicated that he was not in a position to buy them that beer, they then struck him with an empty beer bottle and later stones.”
Shorai said the Samungure family came for negotiations afterwards and had since provided three beasts as compensation. Shorai, however, said the Chimbera family was not co-operating.
“At the moment we are still trying to bring them to the negotiating table and thus I am not sure of burial arrangements as of now,” he said.
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MDC-T Nyanga North spokesperson Sekai Gombe said the opposition party was disturbed by the incident. He said the deceased had been their portfolio secretary for policy and research.
Kanjira was one of the 23 MDC-T supporters arrested with party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora in 2011 for public violence following serious clashes they had with Zanu PF supporters in Nyanga North constituency.
One of the supporters, Rwisai Nyakauru, who was 82, later died in 2012 and his family claimed then he was severely tortured during his arrest.
Meanwhile, Samungure and Chimbera appeared before Nyanga magistrate Ignatio Mhene on Friday facing murder charges. They were remanded in custody to June 26 and advised to apply to the High Court for bail.
The circumstances, according to the State, are that the two, who are from Samungure village under Chief Saunyama, took turns to assault the now deceased over an undisclosed matter at Nyamaropa Business Centre on June 10.
The State said the pair used a beer bottle and stones to attack the now deceased Kanjira. Kanjira sustained head injuries and died on his way to Mutare Provincial Hospital.
